Just one step
by flaming hunter
Summary: Just one option, just one option can change, the effects of a story.
1. Chapter 1

On may of 2018 after world war three, the world government forced the remaining Human population into stasis pods. The reason being; our resources were completely depleted.

The remaining nations declared no Corporation or Government would ever be allowed to gain too much power, or else history would repeat itself. Somehow, someway an event occurred and half the pods were lost.

This is the story of one of them.

In 2148, explorers on Mars discovered the remains of an ancient civilization. These artifacts paved the way for the discovery of new technology, along with them a substance that allowed for the ability to travel faster than light.

It was called the greatest discovery in Human history, the rest of the universe called it Mass Effect.

On a barren yellow planet, without water or any form of vegetation, four massive domes can be seen on its surface. Each one the size of a city.

Within one said dom, a man walks down an empty steel hallway, his footsteps echo in the hollow path. As he slowly passes a segment of doors some of which are labeled. Antic technology, Stuff that doesn't make sense, and really cool alien tech. He can't help but think he forgot something.

''Hey Samantha.'' He says

''Yes, how can I help you?'' A green woman appears, she had short hair, a revealing outfit that had she been made of flesh would had made most men go into a frenzy.

''What's with the politeness? you haven't acted like that ever since I got that personality program.'' He asked

''Oh excuse me for trying to be nice. It is our anniversary after all'' she said while looking at the ceiling.

''Yeah hard to believe it's been five years. No Human or alien contact, since I decided to live on this barren world.''

''Hell if it wasn't because I got some supplies delivered every couple of months I wouldn't see anyone besides you period, You'd think waking up in the future would be a good thing, but my family along with everyone and everything else was gone.''

''I mean, I tried to fit in you know, be like everyone else. But I was to different 162 years difference and you're just too different. The only reason I own the planet is because it's useless for anything. According to the alliance it cannot be Terra formed.'' he said while looking at the sealing.

''That didn't stop you from trying tho. But to be honest you really shouldn't have used robots to dig giant holes all over the planet.'' Samantha says, somehow sounding amused.

''Hey in my defense, it worked just not the way I planed. There was no good soil, so when they hit rock, I had the robots build a solid steel floor. Made of the best scrap metal from old star ships, no one wanted.'' He says, while rubbing the back of his head.

''I guess one thing lead to another and my first dome was built. It was a hell of a lot better than the shed the Alliance gave me. It was a good thing too, because all of those old robots they gave me started breaking down as soon as the dome was finished.''

''Tho making it the size of a city was kinda going overboard. Samantha for what it's worth thank you for staying with me all this time.'' He says while walking

As soon as he's out of sight Samantha says '' You idiot, how could I possibly leave you. When you look like you could break down at any moment.''

''So what's for today?'' He asks

A blue screen shows what he has scheduled for the day. ''Let's see doom number four will be completed in a moment. Oh and you have a visitor waiting in orbit.'' Samantha says\

''Okay number one stop doing that, it's creepy.'' He says, while moving his hands up and down.

''Doing what?'' she asks confused

''Appearing out of nowhere, it's just the two of us around here, so just whose waiting up there and what do they want?'' he asks

''Why don't I patch them thru'' Samantha says while pushing a holographic button. An alien woman in some sort of space suit with an elongated helmet meets them.

''Thank you for accepting my petition to speak with you, many would have just ignored me.''She says.

''It's no problem, so what do I owe the honors for such a finely figured woman to visit me all the way out here.'' He says, while noting several alien tense up in the background, as he said those words. Seeing this he twist his hands acting as a signal to prepare all defenses just in case, things turn hostile.

''I would like to petition for the opportunity; to be allowed to colonies one of the domes you have constructed. Of course we will pay the monthly fee.'' The alien woman says

''Excuse me for a second. Samantha did she just say she wants to rent the place?'' He asks

''That's exactly what she said. I say do it, you do need the money after all..'' Samantha says

''Excuse me you do know I can hear you.'' the alien woman says

…... ''Sorry about that, but may I ask why here in the middle of nowhere?'' He asks a little suspicious.

''We Quarians aren't allowed to Colonies any planets near any Citadel associated worlds. So were forced to live on board our ships. We came here hoping you would allow us, you see since you are a non aligned planet.'' The Quarian woman says, before being cut of.

''So what you're saying, is I'm the only option left. To be honest I got no problem with you people living here. However this is not a Council planet. Meaning I have no military protection.''

''So let's do it like this, 1:I'll let the Quarian people live here in exchange for some of your technology. If you still have some left from before your Mass Effect age, please include that as well.''

2; The doms are always regulated by Samantha my AI no exceptions. Finally number 3: I'm going to assume the Council hates it when anyone helps you, make sure no one knows you're here. At least until we have better orbital defenses. He says, all the while using his fingers to list the conditions.

''Just one thing you said you had an AI.'' The Quarian asked

''Yes she helps control and monitor all of my electrical equipment, and she's one hell of a cook'' He says, as the glowing green woman waves.

''No exceptions.'' He says, somehow sounding threatening.

''I see, very well we accept your conditions. I hope we can get along.'' The Quarian says.

''Just one thing I like to see who I'm making deals with, please show me who you are. Let me see your face.'' He says

The Quarian flinches at this but complies anyway. Her helmet de polarised and a gray skinned human with glowing eyes can be seen underneath.

One year later

A woman in her early twenties sits in her apartment building, just gassing at the scenery, an elongated mask covers her face, while the rest of her body is covered with a light robe, that left little to the imagination.

It's amazing how much can change in a single year, the once barren desolate world they had com to call home was going thru some sort of global winter. That alone slowed down the creation of the sixth dom.

Out of the original four, two new were erected using a combination of mecks, and antic Alliance drones, built with whatever spare parts they had. Nothing to expensive but a miracle to build.

The Quarian people no longer needed, to constantly use their suits, tho they did keep the use of a mask for tradition, more like it was odd. Seeing everyone's faces, after so long of keeping oneself hidden, only showing how you look like to your promised one.

Buying new parts became easier, the Human the owner of the planet, and their for all of the doms. Agreed to to buy whatever they needed as long as the Quarians gave him the credits.

Tho there are times she wonders what exactly has he been building in secret, so far only one small girl knows what it is.

To think she only found out about it after she stowed away on the man's ship. Still a large tunnel system, helps connect the doms, however she wished he would stop using that occurs AI. But no he had to use her for everything, and worst of all he refused to tell her about its origin.

Out of all the Quarians here, she was the one that spent the most time with him, for some reason seeing that green woman, just clinging on to him struck her the wrong way.

I mean sure her skin was gray, but she had the curves, the legs that have made many turn just to get a look, but he he just treated her like anyone else. It was really frustrating, and worst of all he didn't acknowledge that today was the day they met. She was the one who made the deal with him after all.

However no one could deny the man's creativity, orbital cannons designed like satellite filled with entertainment centers, as he did not trust a machine to keep full control of them. Designed to make both the operator and the VI have equal control over said cannon, that way even if they were taken the hacker or the individual could not use them.

Then there were his other ideas, primarily speaking this damn ice age, who brings down two massive ice rock on a planet and hopes things turnout well. Okay so they weren't that big, just a bunch of regular ice rocks made from the stuff that forms inside a ship, but still the disasters that could have brought about.

For once things were tuning out okay , as long as nothing went wrong this following year they would have two new ships, along with a new station. Of course he was building his own kind, why that man insisted in creating machinery without ezzo was beyond her. Still thinking about him working made her smile. Just what the hack was wrong with her? Why would she think that way?

Suddenly a screen appears right next to her ''Madam we have a situation'' Said a green woman, it was the AI Samantha.

''What's wrong Samantha? she asks

''You might want to hurry, because if you don't the situation will get out of hand. I'm sorry let me start over a Turian patrol came and ordered all ships to leave the planet, of course I told the idiot and he responded quickly. You know what why don't I just show you'' Says Samantha

Recording.

A turian wearing green armor appears on screen. ''Attention Quarians you are ordered to leave this planet as it has been claimed by the citadel or else you will be fired upon.'' Said the Turian

''Who the hell do you think you are, by the decree of the Human system alliance, this planet officially belongs to me. Any further attempts of aggression will be considered a declaration of war.'' The only Human appears on screen

''The Quarians are considered under punishment'' The Turian starts before being cut of.

''Irrelevant, I needed a cheap labor force and they agreed. They are living here because I'm allowing it. You on the other hand came and tried to take a planet that already had an owner.

Even as we speak this whole conversation is being sent to the Alliance. The man said

''You think you can threaten me Human'' said the Turian now somehow appearing threatening

''I don't need to.'' He said

end of recording

''Samantha bring my suit'' She says

''I'm already ahead of you.'' Samantha says as two floating house drones bring her suit.

''Okay Samantha, let's see if we can fix a little of these problems.'' She says as a blue screen appears in front of her, showing him arguing with the Turian.

''At the end of the day it comes down to this, either I kick them out and I am left without workers or you bombard me.'' She could see his eyes hardening.

''How about I make you a counteroffer, you get the hell away from my planet or else. He says

''You just threatened me Human, now its self defense.'' The Turian said

''Wrong, you see I just notice something. Were in Human space not jurisdiction of the Council patrol so who are you really?'' She could see it, he was willing to fire the cannons.

However when she was about to say something, the Turian did the unthinkable ''Get us out of here'' She could hear the disgust in his voice.

''Enemy fleet is leaving the solar system'' Samantha says

''Samantha were you able to hack their computers? He asks

''Yes tho I will need a day to analyze it all. Even with the info the Quarians gave us it will take awhile.'' Samantha says

''Make that the primary objective for now. As for more important matters. Man that new suit looks good on you'' He says while looking at her, after he gave Samantha her orders.

She could feel her face heat up. ''So tell me Malina, what made you show up today on your day of. I mean I don't mind the view, skin tight really makes your figure show.'' He says

'' _Why was he talking like this? and why the hack did she suddenly feel like she was completely exposed to him.''_ Those thoughts and others filled her head

''First of all, were talking by screen communicator. Second only our face can be seen, and their only blue so don't act like you can see me.''; She says trying to act like his words didn't have an effect.

''Now what are you going to do. They'll tell the Council and we won't be allowed to live here.'' She says trying to address the situation.

''First what the Council says means jack here, second what do you mean by you. Were in this together little girl, don't you remember what I said the day I allowed you to stay. I don't mind you living here just as long as you follow simple rules.''

''Something all of you did. Besides if you left who would I have to see everyday.'' He says while trying and failing to bring in some humor.

''First of all you said no such thing, second can we please get back on topic.'' She says

''No to that topic, if you're really worried about it I'll marry you and say that the Quarians can live here by bounds of marriage formed by me and you. Now how long, until you can come to the Moon I want to show you what I've been working on.'' He says

As the video cuts she just stood there he just said he would marry her, like it was nothing. Anyone else would have been enraged but she knew him well enough to know, he didn't take it so lightly.

It took five minutes to get to the planets Moon, of course she could have made it sooner, but the ship she was currently using was an old design. Not one of the new ones that were either being rebuilt, or just plain new, the kind that were new. That one word still struck her even after all this time, a new ship made her just want to smile.

Finally taking a drop ship to the Moon's surface, she arrived at one of his mysterious workshops, and like the arrogant jerk he was he was standing there waiting for her.

He wore a long white trench coat, odd considering the Humans didn't make those anymore, big round glasses, that he insisted could have easily had his vision repair.

Black pants and shoes to match along with a white dress shirt to complete his get up, that didn't look all that bad with his short spiky black hair that looked red when the sunlight touched it.

''What took you so long?'' He asked, smiling at her

''You can see the shuttle I took was a fairly old design, so what did you have to show me, that I needed to get here in person.'' She asked, trying to look somewhat irritated.

''Come on I'll show you.'' He says, as they begin to walk until they arrive at a large reinforced metal door. ''Remember that the first day I asked for any data you had on none Mass Effect technology.'' He says, while pressing a red button.

She just looks at him but doesn't say a word, somewhat fearing the answer. As the doors begin to open revealing a massive ship, it was so big that the Moon itself was hollowed out just to be able to fit it. On it's side the name was written The Infinity.

''Ain't she a beauty, fusion and takion particle accelerators this gives her accelerated light travel, she has both kinetic barriers that use a ton of Ezzo, but the Hard Light gives her an extra layer of protection.''He stated

''How? How did you build this thing?'' She says pointing dramatically, not able to understand how managed to do this, in such short time.

''Look I was already building her before you guys came along, your understanding of physics just made it go faster, otherwise Id still be building her.'' He pointed out.

''Listen, this ship is only for me and a couple of you Quarians. Before you start, I was the only one involved in her creation, well Samantha was here to.'' He says

His words seemed to hit her hard for some reason. _''Did he not trust her, did he not trust them''_ these thoughts and others began to swirl in her mind

''So want me to give you the grand tour?'' He asks her

''...'' She didn't answer

Noticing her abios conflicting emotions he began to talk. ''Built with hundreds of rooms, it has space for tanks, drop ships and personal rooms for games. It's made to prove that Mass Effect isn't the only way to go.'' He says

''So why wouldn't I let you and your people use it?'' He asks her

''Because the Citadel would use it, to blackmail us into joining them again.'' She says, understanding where he was going with his explanation.

''Hey, you have visitors and their not to happy.'' A voice says behind them

Turning around they notice that it was his AI. ''Who is it Samantha?'' He asks

''It's a ship from the Alliance they want to know why are there so many Quarians on the planet.'' She says

''Alright pass them thru.'' He says,as a blue screen displaying the person on the other side.

''My name is Colonel Shepard on behalf the System Alliance we demand to know why have you allowed the Quarians to start a Colony on this world.'' The Colonel says\demands

''Mr Shepard it was my understanding,. No it was said to me that the planet was officially mine, as nothing here was of any value, not only that but I would be allowed to officially be a separate entity from the Alliance, and the Citadel.'' He answers respectfully, but she sees how annoyed he is.

''Irrelevant, the Quarians are under punishment, that means that you are bringing problems on us all.'' Shepard says

''Your solution is easy, just say I'm not with the Alliance and you can wash your hands of me. However how about I offer you guys something, just so you keep in mind what you would be giving up.'' He says as the ground begins to move and they are being taken inside the Infinity.

Instantly at a speed she can't even imagine they arrive at the bridge. ''Sam let's take her for her first test drive.'' He says

Appearing next to him in hologram form Samantha says ''Are you sure about that. We could be fire on.''

''We've been pushed into a corner, weather we like it or not our trunk card is the only thing we have going for us. The Citadels ships can tear us apart even with, the Quarians fleet backing us up.'' He says

''But if we get the Alliance to help us even if it's just by materials, then we have a fighting chance.' Samantha says

][][]

Colonel Sheppard was a simple man, he was always on time, did his work and never questioned his orders. However the man had a reputation for getting into trouble, it was that very reputation, that made him and his wife Samantha be sent into the edges of Alliance space.

Their job was to patrol, look for slavers and any unknowns. Only that this job took them in the opposite direction of the Mass Relay. It was in this edge of space, that the Alliances largest fleet existed.

It wasn't composed of the best ships, nor did it have any new high tech equipment. But what it did have was its own school, it's own shipyards and best of all its own planets.

His daughter Jane Shepard, had just recently become the first Human Spectre. While his son John had become a fleet captain. It was no mystery, nor did anyone deny the simple truth they were forgotten by the Alliance.

Unmanned ships would carry in supplies or weapons, but no one contacted then. In the old days entire squadrons would be left forgotten, in the jungles and they would create their own communities. I guess you could say; that's what happened to them.

Their ships were a combination of old Turian ships repaired and re purposed from the first contact war. Old antique ships were used for entering a planet's atmosphere, while their weaponry was a combination of old world chemical propelled hand guns, tanks, planes, boats and some mass tech combined.

Still the man did his job to the best of his ability, but nothing would have prepared him for this. A Turian fleet had illegally entered Alliance space and had taken information, from the Human System Alliance, too bad they never made it back home.

To think they used the excuse that they were looking for the Quarians, the Alliance always knew where they were. They were living on a planet where an ancient Human lived.

Their known as Ancients remnants of an age long since gone, there's ten maybe twenty of them left. Not because they were chosen but because those poor souls were just the last to be let out. Their skills and even some of their ways useless.

So many of them leave.

Still to think he would build or could build something like this. Half the size of the moon, made out of black metal, covered in a combination of enormous cannons and miniature lasers. On it's side it's name The Infinity.

Suddenly, the idiot said something that completely destroyed the feeling of ah.''Nafa nafa, so do you have everything you need.?''

''Yeah, now tell me how, when and why.''? The colonel asked

''The day you came and took one of every kind of Quarian ships, I told you I was planning something big. As to how a whole lot of robots. Finally why proof we don't need Ezzo.'' he said

''So what do you want. The colonel asked

'' A trade. The blueprints and the howto to build it. In exchange for a crew consisting of both Humans and Quarians.'' He said

''The Council will never allow it.'' The colonel answered

''They don't need to find out.'' He answered

''We'll have to get back to you.'' The colonel said

''Were not going anywhere, so now that that's done with wanna get something to drink?'' He said while smiling

''You know what yeah.'' The colonel said, knowing that a huge can of worms just opened up and that the days that were coming would be incredibly bothersome.

][

A massive door opened on the Infinity's side, allowing half of the patrol ships in, however the other half decided to play it safe and waited outside. As Colonels Shepard's ship, along with its escorts flew in they were greeted by the sight of a massive hanger.

Easily able to house all of the Outer Patrol Fleets ships and still have room left to spare. A movable platform took them from the hanger past several empty rooms, some of which had the oddest of names. On the sides on the doors each one was placed Virtual room, class, agriculture and adult.

Finally reaching a type of cafeteria that held hundreds of tables and chairs, he saw the idiot waiting for them. At the idiots side were his wife and his mistress, the AI Samantha and the Quarian Malina, though which was which was up debate.

Like usual Samantha would change her get up, so she could look like she was wearing different cloths. She wore a long lace coat, short skirt and high heels, while her hair was styled in the form of a bun. Tho the color skin always remained the same green.

While the Quarian, had a tight form fitting suit, with pink highlights on its side, her smooth yet elongated helmet, was polarized in a light shade of pink. Combining this with the over all white suit and her curvy body, with the breast that seemed as they could fit in the palm of his hands. Made her look quite attractive.

''So what do you think?'' the idiot asked

Taking a seat near them, Colonel Shepard looked at the entire cafeteria. ''Shes big, but really dark. She needs more lights. So mind telling me where you got all of the parts.''

''Well most of the storage lockers are from the old ships, all I did was put them to good use. Thanks to Malina and the rest of the Quarians I had access to nanites, the thing is I'm no programmer, so they just separated the scraps of the junk''

''What would come out would be a type of ink, that was used in a group of giant 3D Printers, that's where most of the electronics and wiring comes from. The monitors are old world flat screen tvs, computers, and solid holograms.''

''Now the engine uses plasma for propulsion, tachyon particles use simple probabilities, in order to find the smoothest routs. While I use cold fusion, you know what it's a hell of a lot safer using cold fusion.'' he says.

''Now for the weapons, don't worry I couldn't arm those things even tho I want to. The lasers are on hand, but the canons. You know those giant guns you saw, well I got creative. I use virtual reality helmets, combined with Vi archives.''

''Now here's the thing you don't want people's brains frying on the thing so the machine used the old Call of duty program. Quite frankly I'm surprised you using the tech.''he finally finishes

''You know the Alliance will use this as an excuse to reel you in.'' the Colonel says, as he looks to the side suddenly noticing that they are alone. Both Malina and Samantha were nearby serving drinks to the crew.

''So between you and me how good is this thing'' Colonel Shepard asks

''Ill put it to you this way, she was built primarily for running into things, without her shields on.'' he says

Just like that half an hour past and the Colonel returned to his fleet. By the end of the day he submitted his report, along with a petition to be allowed to colonise two new worlds and the construction of new generation warships and armors. Though the worlds were all barren, they could be used as training fields.''

Just like usual the answer came in immediately Do As You See Fit. So for the next three months things remained uneventful, other than one tenth of the fleet, separating in order to build several domes. They would be similar to the ones the Idiot and the Quarians used but would be used only for experimentation.

So during this time the Alliance would do what it always did, it would send its more problematic members to them and simply left them to their own devices. During this time period nothing new or exciting would happen, as there really was no reason for it to.

That is until the end of the third month and five members of the Outer Patrol Fleet decided to petition to stay and live on one of the Ancients domed cities, this wouldn't have made any significant difference or impact had it not been for what it spawned.

Within the dom, people began to use something called Chips instead of credits. This wouldn't have made much of difference, until you realized that most of the people in the Outer Patrol Fleet were at the end of their military service.

Most, if not all felt like; they didn't have a place within the Alliance. So within month four, bars, restaurants, apartments, brothels and trade began to appear. Oddly enough created by the Quarians.

While this was happening, what little credits they had were used to bring in Computers, Plants, Animals, Omnitools, Medicines and School supplies. All of which was brought in by the Patrol fleet. Apparently the Alliance believes that all of that, was being used for the new planets.

While this was going on, the best of the fleet were being scouted to be used as the Infinitys crew. The worst of the Alliance, would become it's unknown hand, as the newly erected research domes, started combining Ancient game mechanics. Antique machinery with modern technology.

This new yet old combination created a whole new type of ships never before seen. Everything ranging from the small single pilot fighter, to Dreadnoughts and Carriers. A new fleet had been created.

At the same time, the Quarians were allowed, to do their own research at a nearby planet away from the Inhabited Domes. All and all life was good and getting better, but good things come to an end.

][]

Life is a funny thing, one moment you can be in a drive in diner, wondering how you can move up in life. While the next, you could be a great actor, wondering what role you should play.

The thing is, that these two things have one thing in common. They both involve the person being in some kind of problem. John Shepard, would agree with this statement.

As he sat down in the Alliance Frigate, he could only feel a mixture of shame and regret. Rather than pride and joy, after all he going Home. When he was a young boy, he saw both his parents be transferred to the outer fleet.

He imagined himself, returning home with his head held high. Instead he returned, with the look of shame. Sitting next to him were an Asari, a blue alien woman with tentacles instead of hair, her light blue skin and thin figure gave her an exotic look.

Her black colored eyes, confident smile, along with the way she moved her hands, while she looked thru her omnitool made her seem somehow elegant.

While in front of him sat a Human woman, that seemed rather odd. Her long black hair, peach skin, and athletic figure, made her quite attractive. However the armor she was wearing, showed her to be a rather high ranking individual.

Tho he was unable to identify, which section she belong to. Still to think that they were in the same ship. No one ever came to this part of space, well maybe the woman had a reason. Perhaps she was going to do some kind of inspection, lord knows they were do.

But the Asari was a mystery, still he didn't have the strength to dwell in the mystery. Ether way he decided that he needed to go out for a walk. Sure it was against regulations but he needed to clear his head.

As he walked out into the hallway, he began to notice, that either some of the crew waved their hands in the air, or had a strange black clip, on the top part of their ears. Nothing changed really, their body armors remained largely the same.

They still used helmets with only a heavy resistant screen, for their heads, while their bodies were shielded by a, mixture of damage resistant clothing and bullet resistant armor. Yet even these seemed slightly different.

How different you may ask, well if he had to put it into words they looked almost brand new and like if they were made of an unknown material.

Still he continued walking, until he found a window, he was about to go deeper, into his pit of self depression when he heard an all too familiar voice.

''Would you look at that. John Shepard welcome back, wait aminute aren't you supposed to be some kind of big shot, now.'' the man asked

Turning to look at who it was, he was surprised to find the face of an old friend. Short almost shaved head, a forgettable face and a smile greeted him.

''Joker is that you?'' John asked

''You bet I am. So what you here visiting your folks.'' Joker asked

''No I'm back, for good.'' John answered without any strength

''So I guess the Earth finally decided to send someone. For what it's worth welcome back, so have you called your parents yet.'' Joker asked

''My omnitool, doesn't have anyway for long distance communication. So I'll call her when we reach the planet.'' John said

''No problem man, got you covered. I'm do to have some time off, so I brought this one with me from home '' Joker hands a type of hearing aid to him.

''What is this?'' John asked

''Look it's like this. Put the thing in your ear, then say the name of the person you want to call, in your case; you'd better dial your moms number.''Joker tells John

''Okay'' Immediately after putting on the hearing aid, a screen appears in front of him, saying please dial the number you wish to call.

''Man you should see your face. In case you haven't gotten it, it's virtual reality. Everyone has one, well the military ones are a little larger, but that's for stuff you'll be told later.'' ''Anyway has anyone picked up'' Joker asks

''No why?'' John asks

''If someone doesn't answer, it usually means they're doing something important or are taking a bath. Everyone have one of these things here, I mean let's be honest there's not that many people here.'' Joker says

John takes the device of and gives it back to Joker. ''You'd better get back to work. We'll talk later okay.'' John says, before walking back to the passengers waiting room.

][]]  
Miranda Lawson was bored, of course anyone would be, sitting down in an outdated ship. That took three hours to reach its destination, when the standard ones would take one or the Alliance's newest would do it in fifteen minutes.

Still she wasn't on this outdated scrap for Alliance duties. No she was here scouting for potential recruits. Cerberus, an organisation created after the first contact war, an organisation she belongs to.

Still she was bored but intrigued, while true she had managed to gain access to the Frigates logs and cameras, she had begun to notice something odd about the crew in it.

They were happy, these weren't the looks of people that knew, they were at the bottom of the barrel. No they seemed rather content, joy filled even, yet as she watched thru the security cameras she began to notice subtle differences.

In all honesty by no means were these things anything new, or by that anything world changing. They were quite the opposite actually, the first thing was; there was a section in the ship's computers, that was almost an exact duplicate of Humanity's pre Mass Effect satellite, transmitted internet.

The next one was the Frigates overall design, if someone were to ask her how. She would say it looked almost as if; the ship's body had been refitted with added layers of armor. Then there was the last one the crew, some of them were waving their hands in the air for no reason.

So she looked into the ship's main VI, the outdated piece of crap, only had it's name Silver Scape. Still it did have the logo of the Ancients planet on it so it was obviously useless, after all that neanderthal barely understood basic math.

She felt the ship's speed drop, another design flaw of this past model a person could feel some of the acceleration or the deceleration. Looking thru her omnitool she saw the station they were going to dock in.

It was an old design a remnant of the past, the Hubble space station, the hunk of junk was once one of Humanity's greatest achievements, now it was just a patch work. A combination of new metals mixed in with old.

Boy she was not going to enjoy the next three weeks in this side of space. Still as she made her way out things started getting weird, an announcement for a game she never heard of; Call of Duty Universe at War. People were either carrying old military rifles or mass accelerators, however very few of them were wearing omnitools.

She just past that of as, them not having the necessary equipment.

]

Running away, running is what she's been doing these last ten years.

For an Asari, melding was like breathing. Imagine her surprise when her first time killed her partner. Ever since that day, she's been hunted by the Justicar, Asari that live for the thrill of battle.

As it turns out she has a birth defect, and people that have it are either killed or are turned in to nuns. She would have become a nun had they not repeatedly shot at her.

So she threw away her name and took a Human one, oddly enough that was enough to throw them off her trail. It took all the money she had, but she managed to find the farthest place in space. It was so remote that even the Shadow Broker didn't care about it.

However they didn't let her of the ship, it was just a space station, yet everyone acted like it was a high level secret. So after fifteen minutes they were on their way again, oddly enough a member of the crew gave her a thick jacket.

It took another hour to get to where she was going. It was said to be a dead world, completely devoid of life, just a bunch of rocks, hot dirt and a couple of doms where people live.

Exhaling, she made her way to the drop ship that would take her down. The thing is her expected for her plans to change so quickly.

Not even give minute above the planet and everything changed. Rather than the smooth, yet rough design, but this thing was blocki, ugly built like a tank.

The thing looks more like something used for war rather than taking people anywhere. Still she didn't complain, but the moment they entered the atmosphere and were met with a freaked storm.

Yeah she began to worry, no she was past being worried, oddly enough the man next to her was just as surprised. Three people border the Frigate, when they first started their trip.

This didn't include the ship's crew of course, but still only two made it to the planet, while one stayed behind. The fact she paid attention to this, only proved how paranoid she had become after all these year's. Still wasn't this place supposed to be barren.

As the ship passed the storm clouds, the sight of six massive domes met her. Not only that but the entire planet was covered in ice, snow and somehow had water near the dooms.

The ship entered a large hanger that opened near one of them. How did she see this? we'll the ship's captain opened a large window to let them see.

However even that was nothing to what she saw once inside the dome. In a moment the world was filled with color, lights shined all over and Humans accompanied by Quarians were busy doing their jobs.

She stops for a brief second, was she seeing this right. Those people were definitely Quarians.

Their suits gave them away, but she had never heard of them having these many types of suits. Some were red, with heavy pads on the shoulders, thighs, knees, and chess, they were moving heavy boxes. Others had thin blue colored outlines, at the side of their otherwise purely white suits, she just saw those standing moving their hands in the air.

Others stil used the old kind, like the ones the Migrant fleet Quarians she's seen before. It was just a white suit with a gas mask like helmet. Suddenly a voice catches her attention.

''Man this place has changed a lot.'' She turned to see who it was, out of curiosity only to find the only other passenger standing behind her.

''Ex excuse me, you've been here before.'' she asks

He gives her a glimpse ''Sure, I grew up in one of the, military bases. So I saw how this place looked like before. All of this use tube, just a big hole in the ground.'' John answered

''So it changed rather quickly then?'' she asks

''Yeah, the last time I was here, was around eight years ago. I think the Ancient was just moving in.'' John answers

''So you wouldn't know where I could register.'' She asks only to be cut of by a woman's voice. ''He might not, but I do.'' she was green all over, her long green hair seem like it was constantly waving, like it was caught in a gentle breeze. However she seemed like she was into old fashioned, or perhaps her programmer was. Seeing as she was wearing a tight mini skirt, a thin blouse over a an under shirt.

''So are you here sight seeing, visiting or looking to live around these parts?'' the VI asked them

''Yeah I'm here looking for a relative of mine, her name is Samantha Sheppard.'' John asked

''Oh yes, so I take it you're here visiting?'' the VI asks

''Yes.'' Jonh answers

''Okay then please show me your omnitool.'' the VI says, as John moves his hand. Okay all files have been skand and approved. However I'm afraid you'll have to call your mother. Right now she's ….. In an important discussion.'' ''But don't worry, you can just call, their almost done anyways.'' The VI says

The man walks of leaving her standing there ''Yeah I was wondering, if it was possible for me to live here.'' Ana asks

The Vi briefly shined ''You sure?''

''Yes'' she answer

''You won't live anywhere near element zero or its technology. You still sure? The green VI woman asks

''.. Yes'' she answered ''You sure?'' it asked again ''Yes'' she answered only slightly irritated

''Okay stick out your hand.'' it says. She does, immediately her omnitool beeps. ''Okay medical history check, eight thousand chips have been uploaded, enjoy your stay.'' ''Oh you'll find amp of every dom in your omnitool, however I suggest you get a Silver drive before you try being intimate with anyone.'' the VI woman says before disappearing

She was shocked did it know, did it know about her condition. Why did it still let her stay? Either way she put those thoughts on hold, she needed a place to stay and work. It was a new city and a new life, in a new universe, where no one knew who she was.

][]

John made his way to a terminal, as the smell of greasy food, loud music and a mixture of children playing along with people talking assaulted his senses. For some reason his omnitool wasn't working right, so either he bought a silver drive or he used one of the doms terminals. He opted for the later.

It was odd for him to find one without a VI projection, it was just a screen with something to type on it. Still to think this place, would change so much in so little time, a mixture of rectangular buildings that looked like earths from along time ago. Along with the oval like designs the Quarians liked.

Still that wasn't his problem, he just wonders why his mom was living here, instead of somewhere more civilized. Her military service had ended, so she should have left.

Well maybe she stayed behind for his dad, but why didn't she live in one of the military assigned planets. After all they were for the soldiers families to live in. Heed ask her while they talked, but this machine sure was taking it's time. Suddenly the black screen turns showing his mom's surprised face. "John" she says

''Mom'' he answers, genuinely smiling

''Wait were you the one who called earlier.'' she asks

''Yeah, a friend let me use this thing.'' he says when his mom cut him off ''Yeah sorry about that, we've been having a hell of a month'' she says

''Om what happened.'' he asks

''Look why I don't let the idiot tell you.'' she says

''Is everybody just going to keep calling me an idiot all the time.'' the owner of the planet says ''Oh hey your…''

''He's my son.'' Samantha Sheppard says

''Sorry sorry. Look a while back I built this machine, it made water. All I did was make a bigger version of the device made in the old days. It graves moisture from the atmosphere and makes water.'' he says

''The problem is the idiot left the machine on and forgot about it. An entire part of a dom was flooded after three weeks, and then he decided to open it and let the water into a tank to empty the room.'' a Quarian woman says

''But that's not the worst of it. The moron couldn't turn the thing off, so we ended up with a lake and by the time I was able to regulate the entire thing. It turns out a bunch of children, thru some of their pet fish into it.'' said a green VI woman

''Look there's water in the atmosphere, so it makes sense that it would freeze. The problem is that when I let the water out , it caused a chain reaction. So the moisture became liquid in an accelerated rate. Then it almost instantly froze.''

''Not much of a big deal right? The problem is; the doms make a lot of heat. So a lot of the fish didn't die and it turns out some of them were from the Krogan planet. We have Sea dragons out there.'' the man says

''Don't get me wrong, we're perfectly safe, but their bloody dragons,'' he says

''So what's the problem'' John asks

''Someone needs to be punished for the fish and then there's, the hole defense system upgrade.'' Samantha Sheppard says, while holding her head dramatically

''Look we'll pick this up later, go see your son. ...and maybe we'll think of something.'' the man says

][][]

Life is odd it has twist and turns, some of which can hit you hard and you'd never see them coming. Others you get a warning, sometimes with enough time, to do something about it. Miranda Lawson would agree with this.

Not even half an hour in this place and she was already ticked of. First the commanding officers, of the hunk of junk she was in didn't let her see some of their ship's schematics. Oh by no means did they dare say no to her.

No they did it by the book, they simply said she didn't have the clearance to see any blue prints, that weren't already approved by the Alliance. Oh she was welcome to look at anything they already had before, but anything new was completely of the table tho, still it hard to believe what these people had done. A bullet filled with a chemical, that when airborne exploded, completely ignoring the kinetic barriers.

Her clearance, allowed her to at least see the things they had made and frankly speaking, she wasn't impressed. The new types of ships they had, were indeed slightly faster; being able to move fifteen light years, instead of the twelve they originally had.

But honestly it was a turtle's pace, when you compared it to everyone else's. Hell the Batarians had ships, that covered thirty light years an hour. Still the fact remains the ships are different than what they already have.

The thing is, had she been any other person, she would have dismissed any of their current projects and forced them to stop. Good thing she wasn't anyone else, every edge, every corner of the bloody things spoke danger.

From the smallest single person fighter, to the one carrier they had, two thoughts remained consistent. Punishment, how to give it and how to take it, they were bulky, they were ugly they were mean.

They were dangerous, however Miranda could see it. The designs were beginning to change, from the first model she had laid her eyes on, to the last, they were becoming smoother, faster, more maneuverable. No doubt this was something she had to report, however there was something they absolutely would not hand over, much less let her see.

Even when she threatened to remove them from service, to having them court martiald, they refused letting her see the clips they had on their ears. Those things were something special, if they were willing to actually stand up to her.

Other than that she didn't find anything new, the computers were outdated, the VI's were painfully slow and the patrol fleet actually refused to show some of their skills. The arrogant fools, actually had the nerve to say, they weren't going to put up a show when they lacked the numbers to miss their scheduled.

So she was now on one of their rust buckets to the Neanderthals planet, it was a separatist world, but honestly she just wanted to see in what state the monkey was living in. All it would take was another hour of travel.

]][


	2. Chapter 2

Malina was angry, no she was beyond angry. These last few weeks, have really been taxing her patience with that man. The first strike had been when the Humans wanted to live on the planet. His answer was simple.

Incredibly so for that matter, the only thing that they truly had to do; was answer a set of the most ridiculous questions she had ever seen.

You want to live here?, you sure?, really? That was it!

Then there was the time when the domes needed to be remodeled, oh and don't get her started on how; his hole ice age started causing storms, which in turn halted the construction of the domes that were planned to be built. The population living in the ones they had was starting to become a problem.

Still as she held onto the railings of the sidewalk, that separated their new lake from the rest of them she could only smile as her anger slowly calmed. The man was creative and had the worst\best luck she had ever seen, even when he screwed up it ended up okay.

The lake and the fish were a problem because all of the excess water was pumped out of the dome, so it wouldn't get completely flooded, after all it was a limited space. That in turn caused a chain reaction, and water started showing up , only that it didn't stay water, it froze.

The fish were an issue as the Krogan marine life is extremely difficult to kill. It was only out of sheer luck that the fish or dragons as he called them didn't attack unless provoked. Still someone should have checked everything and the dam AI couldn't be blamed, because everyone managed to pressure him into letting them check the incoming materials.

They used their own VI's and everything. She could only shake her head in disgrace. Still the water sparked and the fresh cool breeze on her skin somehow relaxed her. Now she had to deal with an issue half an hour ago, she began receiving messages that an Asari was seen looking for work.

That wouldn't have been a major issue except, the blue woman was last seen buying a Silver Drive with chips, instead of credits. Meaning she was approved to live here with them.

A member of the main race, that forced her people to live on ships, for a thousand years was actually approved. Still no one approved of that except he found out about it, no doubt that AI of his told him, so what did he do. The jerk actually has her working for him, she could imagine what he really wanted one of those blue skin bitches for.

Even though he already had her, so what if he hadn't bedded her yet, he was hers after all. Sill she knew that man long enough and if he had that woman working for him, there had to be another reason for him to keep that Asari near him.

Malina could only exhale, things were changing and she could only wonder if it was a good thing or bad.

][]

John walked down the street with his Omnitool guiding him, he would have loved to have a complete map of the area, but according to his mother it was against regulations for outsiders to know the complete layout of the doms, for security reasons.

Still seeing all of these people made him wonder, how that man managed to do all of this. The sound of thunder reached his ears, turning to look up he could see the never ending storm clouds mixed in with what little sunlight seep thru.

As he walked he saw a lot of women, Quarian woman, scolding a group of children for not putting on a type of gel. What was odd wasn't the gel but the fact that all of them weren't wearing their suits. He had seen Quarians before, they were all over the place, well at least all over the Citadels part of space.

They ran around doing their pilgrimage for their Migrating Fleet, the thing was they were always inside their suits, they could never get out of them. Everything was poisonous to them, but these people here, they didn't wear them the only thing they had were their masks.

Honestly he decided not to think about it, still he wondered why and how. The sound of water hitting the outside of the dome, reached his ears it started to rain again. The Red Baron is the place he was supposed to meet his mom and he finally found it, yet he couldn't believe it.

It was an arcade and there she was standing there at the entrance, waiting for him smiling. ''John'' she says

''Mom.'' John said, as he hugged his mother in a warm embrace ''It's been a long time, so how are you'' he says

''Come with me John.''Samantha Shepard says, as she signals him inside. As they walk in, they see a bunch of children and some adults playing with games, ranging from simple hand held controllers, to a room that had people that were running around in circles like idiots.

''So what do you think?'' she says to him

''Mom did you?'' John asks, as he sees his mothers expectant look

''Maxwell was going to keep this stored away, he thought the games would be too addictive, but I decided to put them all in one place.''Samantha Shepard says

''Yeah but aren't these really old games, how did you get clearance to even put them up.'' he asks

''John please, the companies have been closed for at least two centuries. Who is going to complain.'' she says

''Here look at this.'' Samantha Shepard says, as she shows him a real world footage of an ongoing war. ''Call of Duty Universe at war. It's a Virtual reality game, trust me when I say it it's perfect training and incredibly addictive.'' She says

''Mom how are they outside of their'' John asks before being cut of ''John please when there's a pervert there's a way. Lets just leave it at teenagers, God knows that was a headache.'' Samantha Shepard says

''Mom why are you living here?'' he asks

''You're just going straight to the point.'' she exhaled ''John our technology is years behind, we don't have the same mannerisms, or habits for that matter. The thing is; I didn't want to be old serving in the military, your father already was accepted he'll be living here soon. When his time is finally done, so a week and we'll be living together again soon.'' she says

]\\]

This was wrong, this was just wrong, Miranda Lawson was a mixture of confusion, rage and curiosity this was just wrong. This planet should be dead, dessert, scorching hot sun, and would be dry.

Except it wasn't that, there were satellites all over the place, storms were raging all over the surface. To top it all off there was a Quarian Florita stationed near the planet.

The Alliance checked this place before and it was too expensive to fix, so how did the suit rats and that neanderthal do it. When she asked about the fleet, the dam Colonel actually showed her the paperwork.

But this, this topped everything of, domes the size of cities, surrounded by ice and water. That monkey had some explaining to do, she would get her answers even if she had to shut down the places life support.

][][

Life, life is like a lever, it has its ups and downs, its lefts and rights. Yet things are in constant motion, be it a person that lives locked up in their room all day, an alien race trying to stay alive while confined to their ships, a single woman attempting to keep her little sister safe.

Or it could be as simple as a man attempting to just live his life, even if that man was on another world and own the planet, as well as a couple of other ones near it, along with their moons. Life keeps moving, even if you yourself don't.

Miranda Lawson felt lost, no she was beyond lost. All her life, she had seen many things ranging from the highest forms of living, to the filthiest slave ridden holes of the universe. Yet in all her life this, this place completely thru her of.

The moment she stepped out of the ship she enter a world of greasy food, sexsi woman, handsome men and strange technology. A world where no one cared or gave a crap about who you were and what you did.

The streets were odd, the people were strange and she was understandably filled with an uncontrollable rage. Aliens were living near Humanity's almost completely exposed side, not only that but they had technology that Humanity could use and had not handed it over like they should have.

The ability to Terra form a dead planet, the world around her was supposed to be dead, it was supposed to be a water less, sand filled, ash covered hell hole. Instead she found herself in a snow cover world, littered with storms, which by the way had some form of marine life living in it.

There's an unspoken rule known through space, and that rule was you don't leave yourself exposed. Unfortunately that rule was not always used, the border fleet for that matter was Humanity's exception. An attempt to use the useless one's in the military, God knows there were plenty of them.

The thing was they weren't useless, each one of them had something that made them to much trouble to have around. Be it a strong sense of duty or a difficult mindset to have around, either way all kinds of people ended up there.

So it could be understood, why they chose to live on this planet, when their service ended. However that didn't change the fact, that they not only lived in a separatist world, but also helped create a new form of technology. She could see it everywhere, those transports needed fuel, the machines needed power and the domes something had to be keeping them running.

Still she had time to kill and she would use it well, in other words she was going to go sight seeing.

There were a lot of questions and extremely few answers, yet as odd as it seemed no one cared she was there. It was odd, not because no one looked at her, but because the man that owned the place hadn't gone to meet her yet.

Then there was the strange VI this place had, multiple copies of the same one, except they were all dressed in different cloths. Yet no one seemed to mind, it showed curiosity, as when she saw one of its multiple copies actually look intrigued; as a group of children, made a bunch of homemade kites. It was definitely nosy because the damn thing, actually asked her what color her underwear was when she registered her entry.

In all honesty had Miranda not known better, she would have sworn she was dealing with a real AI.

]\\]

John couldn't believe it, his dad had always been in the Alliance, ever since he was a boy he and his sister Jane, had seen him lead his patrol group with pride. But to think that the man would retire here was unthinkable, sure his mom had lived here but he assumed it was temporary.

''It's amazing don't you think, you know just how fast the world changes. John I'm sure you thought that when you came back things would be the same or at least not too different.'' Samantha said

''No, I knew things would change but I never, thought'' John says before being cut off

''That your father and I would live on a separate planet. John it's not that surprising, I like what I do and your father likes being able to command the Infinity. Besides he's not really leaving the Alliance, the Idiot is always trading technology with the patrol group after all.

''Waite mom what do you mean by trading technology? And I noticed this earlier, but why do you keep calling the owner of this planet an idiot?'' John asked

''He's good John, really good,and I'm, going to tell you the truth John if he wasn't him I would honestly say it was better to kill him before he joined some group. John that man is dangerous, beyond dangerous it's better we keep an eye on him.''

''Your father notice this before anyone else did, the thing is he really doesn't care about things like power or even doing anything really. So he spends his days working in his inventions, inventions that are cheap, dirt cheap.'' ''That's why we call him an idiot, because he could have all the power he wants, but he doesn't want any.'' Samantha says

][[]

At the same time during this conversation, an event took place that anyone could have anticipated. As a blue skinned woman laid her head on a coffee shops table, with her spirit thru the ground because she was unable to find work.

Only for a man wearing a white lab coat to it down in front of her ''Hey'' he said

[][]

The room seemed eerily silent, it was like the few seconds one gets when they realize their staring at their immediate death. His friendly smile, uncombed hair, light brown skin and what looked like glasses, but no one used those anymore.

''I'm here to ask you a series of questions, depending on how you answer them, will determine your life her.'' the man informed her

''Excuse me, but I don't have to answer anything.'' she said with a slight edge in her voice

''That's just the thing my dear, you do. You see this planet and everything in it, including you belong to me.''; he said, with his oddly cheerful smile.

She didn't move, she knew that this planet, belong to one of the Humans ancients, but to have him meet her personally.

''Alright seems you get the message. Were going to do it like this, I ask a question and you answer with a simple yes or no.'' he said\ordered

''Are you running away from something or someone'' he asks

''Y..yes'' she answered

''Do you have any ulterior motives besides, hiding and living here.'' he continued

''No'' she answered with her head down

''Finally, are you aware of your medical condition.'' he finished asking

''Yes'' she said now in the verge of tears knowing he was about to throw her out

''Good you work for me now. I don't need smart people, I need creative people, somehow you found this place and I know full well that no one cares, I think no one even knows we exist, at least no one important'' he said, as he turned his head up

''Why'' she asked, in a whisper

''No one is giving you a job, right. Let's be honest, you doing night jobs is just a bad idea. So why not. All I ask is that you follow orders and be creative.'' he said as he placed his hand on her head

''By the way, when Samantha, second you she detected your bodies, odd nerve signatures, you may have noticed it but your Silver Drive is slightly thicker. The reason for that, is because, she placed an online avatar of you, so you can be intimate with whoever you want'' he informed her

''How?'' she asked

''Need to know, just be glad we have virtual reality.'' he told her, as he got up and began to walk away, only to stop and say ''So you coming or what?''

It would be a year from then, that her daughter would ask. Why she did follow the man that hadn't even bothered to say his name. She would answer with the honest truth, I don't know, it just felt right.

][[]

Technology governed the future, that was the honest truth. He hated it, sure it made life easier and allowed Humanity to perform miracles, as well as meet their neighbors . As he walked next to the blue woman, he honestly didn't ever imagine meeting, sure he had slept with the Quarian girl. But meeting one of the fantasies of his yester years. Was actually pretty cool

However real life, always fucked up your fantasies. The girl was a wreck, both emotionally and physically, from what Samantha had given him, her nerves would kill anyone she truly connected to. Which was bad because, the way her people reproduce heavily involved that.

''Hey listen, there's a building that reads **one forty three** , go their and show this sign, to the person at the counter, then pick whatever room you like. That will be your new apartment'' he told her before a message appeared on her silver drive, system. It looks like an eagle, with a shield covering its stomach

That was all he said, as he walked away leaving the girl behind, after all she had made her choice she had followed him. Now it was on to the next problem, an Alliance higher up had come, and by what Shepard had informed him she was a huge bitch.

He wasn't looking forward to speaking with her, after all, when he did he would have to tell her about the other planets the Quarians were using to experiment on. They had been building their own, shipyards, as well as a domed city similar to his. Unfortunately for them, he had ordered a second one for himself as well as forcing them to open everything up to Samantha. They hated that, but he honestly just remind them of their deal.

Now however it seemed his quiet life would finally come to an end. As he laid eyes on his interrogator, she had long black hair, a thin waist, nice breast, smooth skin and a look of authority in her eyes. Not bad in his opinion, too bad for her, he preferred girls with a little more meat to the, chunky, not fat there's a difference.

As she turned and looked at him, he just smiled and said ''Miranda Lawson, I presume''

''You have a lot of explanation to do. You have zenos living in Alliance space, all of which aren't in our systems and god forbid the Council doesn't find out their Quarians.

Second, you have technology that could revolutioniste our industry and failed to hand them over, and finally you have terra forming technology, years ahead of any currently know, This planet's state is proof of it'' she said as she pointed her finger at his face, somehow appearing incredibly intimidating

''Number one get your finger out of my face. Number to, I'm not apart of the Alliance, nor do I have any reason to give or obey the Alliance and the Council for that matter. Finally we're already trade partners, it's your own fault for not looking at what we have given you.'' he answered

He could see her taking a deep breath ''Forgive me for my rash actions, please let me start over.'' she said

''Too late, you already made a bad first impression, so what do you need to know.'' he said

''Please answer the following. How many ships do you have, including the Quarian ones. How many worlds are currently under your control, as well as any moon you have. Finally please explain the current state of the planet. I can easily get the information I want from thoes files.'' Miranda answered, now just slightly irritated

''Half an Infinity, two dreadnoughts, three cruisers and about a hundred single fighters, including drop ships. Oh and one tanker'' he answered

''Now as for planets, I have eight, and about fifty seven moons, all varying in size, as well as two space stations and one thousand satellites. All spread outt, recording the surround space, with about sixteen flying about somewhere mapping the distant space.'' he continued

''Now for the planet. Imported fish and a lot of mistakes, that I have to look into until the method is improved.'' he finished

''Very well, now for my final questions before I leave, this planet. I am aware that you are not in our jurisdiction, but I have to ask how do you protect these territories when half your fleet is being repaired.'' Miranda asked

He just smile .''That's a secret, I can't just tell you everything now can I. By the way how are you leaving exactly, the patrol fleet doesn't come back for a while.'' he asked

''I made a call to my superiors, in fact that's them right now'' Miranda said as an, unknown ship, near the doom, ''Excuse me'' she said as she walked away, heading to the docking area

''Samantha, how did she get a signal of the plane.'' he asked, as Samantha's green form appears next to him

''I don't know, but she had a program, as well a type of signal, I wasn't able to block or hack.'' Samantha answered

''How about the ship.'' he asked

''It's a standard, Alliance ship nothing new. All of their systems are pretty common. Other than being a newer model there's nothing, new to inform.'' Samantha finished, before asking 'Life, just got a hoe lot harder for us didn't it?''

''...'' he didn't answer, fifteen minutes later Miranda would board the ship, that was waiting for he and the ,moment she was able to get a full signal, she would send everything to the Illusive man, as well as to the Alliance, unbeknownst to her, her actions would set in motion a series of events that no one would foresee and it all would start with a simple set of words

One year later **Infinity is online, targeting pirates in 3.2.1. fire**

[[][][

One year later, after Miranda left the planet. ''Kay so we all agree, John Shepard will be the Infinity's new Captain. Hell if people bitch about it, we'll just say it's a form of good will, between the System Alliance and the new Planetary union.'' he said

''So what else is in the agenda'' he asked Samantha Shepard

''Well, according to the latest reports, both the Alliance as well as Earth's United Government, have officially removed any sport. So were not receiving any new shipments from the, unless we start paying some form of tax, they want to place on us.'' she answered, as she looked at a projection on the wall

''Okay, how did I break the law again.'' he asked

''You didn't at least not one of ours, well except for allowing the Quarians to live here. But to be honest, they don't care about that. The Council however, does and well their strong arming the Earth.'' Samantha answered

''Yeah but we're not apart of the Alliance, all we do is trade with them.'' he answered

''Of the record. They know that, we know that, but they hate knowing some one said, fuck you and your laws.'' Samantha answered

''By the Samantha, hows your Husband.'' Malina asked ''Please you two, were already speaking out of the record'' she said somehow, making her eyes roll behind her mask

''Hes about to retire in a week. But it will be awhile before he can live here, the whole incident with the council has made him a public figure.'' Samantha answered

''You know what, screw it meetings over. Now for something else. How the hell did he have the balls to tell the Council, that we weren't his problem.

I mean, I get it, he was frustrated with all the finger pointing but still.'' he said with a giant smile on his face

''That man has always had problems with authority.''Samantha said as she placed her hand on her forehead

''Hey, he had it easy. Imagine how I felt when the Migrant fleet said they wanted to speak to me. Then their reaction, to finding out about Sam.'' Malina said as she laid her head on the table ''Hell they're still cursing my name.''

''Sorry about that'' he said, as he placed his hand on her head

''Don't worry about it''Malina answered, as she took his hand with hers and held it ''Just promise you'll come to my place to night. We still have things to talk about.'' she said As Samantha, looked with an amused smile and at the brink of laughter

''Sure.'' he answered extremely nervously, only for a light to appear next to them.

''Sir need I remind you you have an appointment, to night.'' Sam said , as she appeared placing her green lighten hand between the two of them ''I mean, look at this, human resources, is still screaming about the hole flooding, which you have not fixed by the way.''

''Then you still, have to look into the new ship designs, oh and don't get me started. Because if you or her say any objections, I'' start showing everyone, the reason why you turned of myentrye into your room last night.'' Sam said, with a hint of venom in her voice

''Sam your a V.I'' Malina said, only for Samantha's cold glare stop her from saying anything else.

''How would you feel is someone, turned off your eyes, ears and mouth. Believe me it's hell. Besides if you too want to be intimate it's not my problem'' Sam answered

''Okay. Well I'll leave you three alone'' Samantha Shepard said, as she got the hell out of the room, before any blood could be shed, because she sure as hell didn't want to be in the crossfire. Still she couldn't believe what happened not three days after, the woman left.

First her husband was held under suspicion, then the Earth cut of any support. Thankfully, because that man had filled in all of the paper work, as well as making sure that everything he and the idiot did was recorded he was let out not a week later.

Then the Alliance demanded any new technology, they had created so far. Boy she didn't know the idiot had it in him. That was the day he straight out threatened war, if they even tried anything.

They had argued that that all belonged to Humanity and therefore he should share it. He only laughed.

''This tech all belongs to Humanity. You know what maybe you're right, sure I'll give all of our technology.'' she remembered how, Hackett's wide grin banished after he continued talking. ''Tell you what, I'll give it all to you, under the condition. That none of it is given to the Citadel Council and its separate races.''

''Do you understand that terra forming technology alone'' Haket said before he was cut of

''Do you understand, that the Council has nothing to offer me. We don't have a Relay here. It literally take fifty years, for any of their ships to get here if they don't go thru Alliance Space.' he said, only for the screen to go dark and Haket leave. She would have never imagined, seeing an Admiral of the Alliance silenced so easily

Then came the argument with the Council, who outright demanded the Quarians exile, as well as the technologies they had handed over to them. She still remembered how they were taken, to the Citadel, by one of the Quarian ships. Needless to say, it wasn't a warm welcome.

She still remember the cold glares from everyone, on board the citadel. How the Council looked at them as if they were filth.

''Good evening, we are here to discuss your repeated breaches in galactic laws.'' Said the Salarian representative.

''I don't know what galactic, laws you speak of Councillor.'' he answered,, faking ignorance

''Human, you realize that by giving the Quarians those planets, you have completely sentenced yourself to a lifetime of imprison me.'' said the Turian councilor

She remembered how she was about to say something and how Malina slightly flinched back. He however didn't even act, like he cared

. ''Give them planets, nope. All I did was give them a few places to live, all of those planets belong to me.''

''You do realize that everyone must follow the law, that includes the time the Quarians are allowed to live on any world'' said the Asari councilor

''Really, everyone must follow the rules. Need I remind you about the Batarians, how about omega. Look why did you three call me here.'' he asked, after saying his examples

''We are here to discuss, the state of the Quarin splinter fleet living on those worlds you owe.'' answered councilor Sparatu's of Turians

''I don't see why this is any Issue. None of you even cared about us until now.'' Malina said as he stepped up and answered the Councilor

''You and your people should still be inside your ships, after what you did.''said Councilor Sparatus

''Still, all of you have created some of impressive technology. We would like to see and even trade with you if possible.'' said Valern the Salarian Councilor

''Okay first you guys tell me I'm going to jail. Then you say that you want to trade with me.'' he said, as he held his head ''Look listen, how about this, you stay on your side we stay on ours.''

Samantha could only shake her head, that day he had cost them a massive trade opportunity. However when they left the Citadel and she was about to put him in his place he began to talk.

''They didn't want our technology, what they wanted was control it, and everything else. Waite you'll see what the Alliance will do in a couple of months.'' he said and sure enough, several ships filled with colonist were sent in to their section of space

Then there was his newest ship, the Tanker. Probably one of his greatest triumphs or one of his craziest.

][][]

Apparently he had started building it at the same time as the Infinity, but considering it was supposed to be a massive cargo ship, it had taken longer to build. Pitch black, by the asteroid metal used to build it.

Its computer system, is incredibly primitive so it had been brought back, to be upgraded. But the armor was a hundred times thicker than any ship ever built. The monster was built for ramming into things, it made sense because according to him. The thing had been created for long extensive time away from any nearby planet.

It was capable of holding three times the amount of people and their families, because it would be highly likely, that they wouldn't see them again for years. Fully automated, with several floors that held a massive garden, that connected them all together. The dam thing by Samantha's point of view, could easily be called a built in forest.

Hundreds of primitive nuclear weapons, its body was covered in old antique rail guns and to top it all off it was incapable of any faster than light. Apparently, the smaller ships it would carry would do that for it.

It was definitely designed for terror tactics, if nothing else other than being a huge waste of resources.

Still he had been right, about everything changing. First her husband had been arrested, under the suspicion of being a traitor, but because the man had sent all of his paper work. The higher ups consider it a massive woops, by the administration.

Then there had been a huge petition by several Council races only for him to reject them all, the same thing happened with the people from the Alliance. Only for him to send out a reason why. We don't have enough room.

A lot of people took that the wrong way,and all of sudden a massive fleet of ships came thru, looking for new resources and any new planets to colonize. The thing is there's hardly any Ezzo in this section of space. Meaning that many of those planets were soon abandoned in less than a couple of months.

Interestingly enough, he actually bought the stations and the planets they had marked. No one wanted them, they were too far away and weren't worth the money to keep them up to date. So he went from having a few planets to having thirty seven planets and over a hundred moons.

The thing is, none of them were worth anything. Any new material uncovered by the robots, was too deep into the planet to be easy to access.

Then there was his plan to drain the excess water, he actually flooded one of his newest domes and when the water level went down, he just took a hammer and broke the machine. Now they had a massive dome filled to the brink with all sorts of fish.

Still, the insane year was over and her son was now the Infinity's, new Captain and her daughter Jane, would be coming to see him take the Infinity out for its first true patrol around the sector. The Alliance, had taken to heart the hole thing about it beeing a joint ship. Still the Alliance didn't like the fact that John had been approved by the idiot.

Meaning that if they wanted a new Captain, he had to give his approval. The Captain was Aliance but the one who said yes was him, till nearly everyone from their side was a Quarian. Then there was the whole issue with Sam, Malina and him, how the hell does a machine act like an overly jealous girlfriend.

Anyway tomorrow her husband would be released and her daughter would bring him home. So as she walked away from the three stooges, she could only hope for the near future. After all if those two giant ships didn't guarantee safety wat would.

Next day Fleet Captain Shepard comes home

][][][

He could feel his heartbeat, as he rode the Alliance's new boarder ship. Oddly enough the Alliance still hadn't named the dam things, in all honesty he called them Pelicans just because oh how they were designed.

In contrast to the main fleet whose ships were all Ezzo powered, whose bodies were smooth, elegant, could maneuver in any form a high speed. The pelicans were ruff, edge blocky, slow with outdated rail-guns, mixed in with a newer version of the mass accelerators,. Yeah newer mass accelerators, the reality of the situation was, the weapons themselves were already outdated.

Still he wasn't going to complain, it had been a hell of a year. After that woman arrived to look at everything, things went completely out of hand. When everything he had allowed the idiot to do, came to light, everything went downhill.

An extreme sanction had been placed on the idiots sector, everyone of his fleets people were incarcerated and interrogated for any hint of betrayal. Thankfully none of them were found with anything so much as hinting of any form of betrayal.

Still as the days turned into months, he heard how forcefully that idiot fought back, both the Alliance and the Citadel Council. There was no doubt in Michael Shepard's mind, that that man had the power to fight back.

He had repeatedly shown the ability to do things, under everyone's nose. That A.I of his proved it.

Still as the months passed and everyone of his documents, as well as his recordings came to light the Alliance was soon forced to accept the truth, he had never once failed to send in his reports and they had approved of them all.

Still he knew that in face value the Alliance wouldn't just let them go, but then the unthinkable happened.

The idiot actually demanded the return for, Michael and his people's realism, saying that because it had been him who had struck the deal, about the Infinity's joint patrol. So that's how he and his men were released once again, however they now were forced to stay in the fleet for another five years.

Not that they really cared, he and a few of his men had been on that ship more than once since the idiot had revealed it to them. By his own words the damn thing was built for people to live in it. Besides him, his daughter Jane Sheppard, who was escorting him back to the border.

Still the idiot absolutely forbade her from setting foot inside the Infinity, his reason she was Council, not Alliance there for she had no place on his ships. Yeah there were arguments, but the truth was Michael knew full well what the idiot was doing, he was denying the Council information.

No doubt his time with the Quarians, had affected his beliefs about them, still as they arrived near the planet where his wife now lived, he felt his heart nearly stop.

There surrounded by, both the satellites, and the Quarian as well as the Alliance fleet was a massive ship, awaiting his arrival.

''Sheppard, long time no see man. Do you like it. I call it the Tanker.'' the idiot said as he appeared on screen


	3. Chapter 3

''Wellsay something man, don't just stand there'' he said, as he look at Michael Sheppard

Even as Michael held his face devoid of any emotion, internally he felt himself breaking. Not because the idiot had another ship, no in all honesty he expected that man to havemore of them then just these two. No what made him sweat was the fact that standing right besides him was his daughter and with her were here team.

Normally this wouldn't have been an issue, but they were from different races, under regular circumstances they wouldn't have ever been allowed this far deep into Alliance space. But because of that idiot, they had been sent here by the Council to see what was going on within the idiots part of space.  
Of course they hadn't said it that way, no by no means instead they had been ordered to accompany Jane, so that the Alliance's newest defense ship could be seen up close and personal.

If Michael didn't know any better he would have sworn, that that was the very reason why Jane had been forbidden from setting foot on the Infinity.  
''She's big'' was all that Michael said

''Damn right she is, come on I'll show you around. Oh but I'm afraid your guest won't be allowed in, unless of course they are part of your new fleet' the Idot, said preventing any of this daughters team from setting foot on the Tanker. Unfortunately for his daughter that included her as she wasn't apart of his fleet.

''I'll be right over'' Michael answered, having long since understood when that man had been trying to tell him something un officially. As he turned to see his daughter who in turn just narrowed her eyes at him, he began to walk towards his ship's hanger.

As they drew nearer to the tanker he briefly noticed that the Quarian girl, a member of his daughter's team and a member of the Migrant fleet was staring at the new or freshly repaired, Separatist Quarian Ships.  
How did he know that considering he couldn't see her face. Her body screamed the very thought of it.  
The Turian on the other hand was staring on the Tankers incredibly reinforced front body, no doubt trying to get an idea of how strong it was or how hard it would be to destroy it.

Even as Michael left his ship and flew towards the Tanker, he was handed an official Alliance Silver Drive. The thing was smooth, made by nano forge instead of 3D printing like the Idiot used, it was faster and could connect to both the Alliance and the starnet plus\that guy's planet web as he called it.

So as he his escort team and his pilot neared the Tanker a pair of massive doors opened allowing them to enter it. Their tiny drop ship was a speck in the monstress ships body. So as they landed and began to walk out Michael immediately noticed the difference in design t when compared to the Infinity.

Right of the bat he and his team were met with appearance of several mechs armed with both laser and rail guns, long gone were the feelings of a warm welcome the Infinity offered, in its place was the feeling of being in the presence of a predator. The isolated feeling of loneliness remained but that just added to the feeling of danger.

''Hey Michael glad you took my offer'' the idiot said, as he walked towards them ''Sorry about the mess'' he said as he moved his hands around, trying to show the entire ship

''Whats going on'' Michael said, while going straight to the point

''No tour then'' the idiot answered, while only receiving Michaels unemotional look ''She was originally going to be a huge mining carrier ship, you know use dropships to bring in material and do what's needed here. But that's no longer the case. She needs to be fully upgraded and repurposed for combat.'' he stopped for a few seconds

''There's something going on. I don't know what it is, but it's something. Samantha has been picking up Ezzo trails here and there. No it's not the Quarians, believe me I checked, the're to busy trying to build their version of the Infinity.  
No someone is probing our defenses, so the Tanker needs to be ready to do something she was only meant to do at close range. Now however shew be able to do it at long range too.'' he finally finished

''The Infinity was housing, now this girl was a giant forge and processing plant. So we continue this trend. The next would be medical, then Military'' answered Michael, all the while proving the idiot for information every act was recorded and analyzed by him, so the man's body language would immediately say what his mouth denied

The idiot however simply smiled ''So you get it then. They are built so that Humanity always has a fighting chance. Call it an old man's way of thinking, but remember I spent a long forgotten amount of time frozen because we didn't have a way to keep going back then.'' the idiot answered

Michael however understood what he meant, even if everything was lost. There was still a gay for them to repair , heal and re arm themselves. All the while having away to leave should they lose. The man in front of him was thinking far into the future, while at the same time, having to deal with the present time.

Even as Michael turned and walked back onto his ship and the tiny drop ship returned to its escort fleet a man smoked his cigar, having seen everything thru Michaels silver drive.

''So he has more of them and the Quarians are trying to build their own. The question is where are you keeping them'' the man said to himself

''Terra forming technology capable of turning ruining water less worlds into frozen planets, that slowly become filled with water ad if these reports are right can have green vegetation in as short as ten years.  
A device that allows one to do everything the Omni Tool can do, except it also allows one to mentally connect to their ships and armor without needing implants.'' he briefly stops to inhale his cigar

''So wat else are you hiding. If you have more ships, then you obviously have more weapons.'' he said as he continued to look at the screen in front of him.

[][]

John Sheppard was having the worst day of his life and today was supposed to be the greatest day of his life at the moment.

Why? well he couldn't stop vomiting, to day he took control of the Infinity, one of the largest ships ever built. His father would be commanding the fleet, but he would be commanding a ship that was on its own a fleet.  
He took a deep breath only for his food to come rushing back out, his sister was supposed to be with their father, in all honesty he wanted to show her around, but the Idiot didn't permit it.  
He now understood why everyone called him that even his two wives, he tried exhaling once again only for a timer to ring as the alarm was set off.

It was time for the Captain to take command of the ship.

The Infinity used an accelerator drive, it was the same machine people used when they first made it to Pluto. By no means was it an Ezzo Drive, but it could allow any ship regardless of the size to jump from Earth to Pluto in a week.  
In the old days it would have beenrevolutionary, now it was like comparing a snail, to a race horse. It was to slow.

He took his milk white jacket from its hanger and put it on and immediately exhaled, even as he left his personal restroom he knew something was off. The feeling around him was tens, yet existed, he received his answer the moment he walked out of his personal quarters, each step he took had sailors both Human and Quarian saluting him as he walked.

Be them the highest of command, to the lowest janitor, wiping the floors by hand as a form of punishment.

The green glow of Samantha's holographic body alerted him of her presence.

''Good day Captain'' she said

''Samantha'' he answered, as he took in a deep breath

''Nervous, don't be.'' Samantha said, as she smiled at him ''A copy of me will be on board , just promise not to flirt with her while you're gone. I am a married woman after all'' she said with a hint of humor

''I won't be doing that'' he immediately answered

''Relax you'll do fine, you'll only be gone for four months our territory isn't that big after all, plus your dad's fleet will be covering the wider areas, so you should be able to rely on his experience'' Samantha told him, as they entered the bridge, in every seat, men and woman were manding every station monitoring everything from cameras to the life support systems.

''Captain in the bridge!'' someone screamed, causing everyone to stand up and salute at John

''Ladies, Gentlemen, citizens of the Alliance and the Independent Nations, that have aligned with us. Today we celebrate one of Humanity's first triumphs in ship design, The Infinity is the first Super Dreadnought, that can also be called a colony ship.'' he took in a deep breath, as he let what he just said set in

He didn't know how many people were watching the news report all over the extranet, allowing the images of the Infinity to be seen by everyone. Even as the ships reporting the transmission allowed the ships to be seen, slowly extending themselves into the viewing screen.

While many would origene say that the ships weren't that big, the image extended little by little, first displaying the single Fighters, then the Scouts that were little bigger then the Fighters, a single Corvette.

An unknown ship that was later named a Missile Carrier, two Light Cruisers, a Frigate and a single Dreadnought, then the Infinity dwarfing them all.

The mixed patrol fleet made of both Alliance, Quarian and Separatist groups laying in wait just to move into their patrol, made many lose their breaths in amazement.  
But as the news ships flew into the Infinity and displayed the countless single fighters and several other ships, along with both machines and soldiers waiting for their orders.

''Today we will be journeying into what we once tried and achieved, but now however we travel into an area of space where no Element Zero exists. So for our people we will be the first to achieve this feat'' John said as the Infinity s engines ignited themselves and it vanished into the darkness of space.

[][]

''Well that kid really knows how to put up a show'' the Idiot said, as he smiled while the machines continued their work

''Look at him, just yesterday he came home with his head down. Now he is the single captain in all of the Alliance with a ship half the size of the citadel.'' Samantha Sheppard said as her holographic form appeared next to him

''Hey Sam' he said

''Hey, my daughter wants to come down, I want permission for her come down.'' Samantha said

''Okay, so why are you asking me'' he asked

''Sam won't let her down, she keeps saying it's a security problem and for some reason, she keeps demanding to know what my daughter uses for underwear. I don't care what you two do in your alone time but please don't get my daughter involved.'' Samantha said, with an accusatory look

''Hey that's Sam's thing, besides don't you lie me as a son in law'' he joked and immediately regretted it

''You already have a A.I a Quarian and now you want my daughter. If I find out you try anything'' Samantha said only for Sam to cut in

''Saman that your daughter has been approved'' this immediately caused Samantha to cut her hologram leaving him by himself.

Unbeknownst to him, both Sam and Samantha, were grinding with each other giving one another a thumbs up, knowing full well they had dodged a bullet. That man loved to flirt, with any woman he met, or by their definition of flirting both Sam and Samantha had seen the guy talking to several woman and immediately take ahold of them.

The rest was left to their imagination or in Sam's case her simulation, the man knew how to hide himself from her cistems after all he had installed them and had most importantly modified them. So with that bullet dodged they decided to welcome Jane and her crew to the dome where they were currently living at, it was only to bad that the two of them were so caught up in this that they both missed a meeting that was going on between their problematic friend and a growing danger in their side of the universe.

''You have a message, actually it's a call but the user is using an old system similar to the one down on the planet.'' said a copy of Samantha\sam, as she materialized next to him, her long hair blue body, short mini skirt, loose blouse, high heels and small glasses gave her an trative look.

He just looked at her.

''What ?'' Samantha\sam asked

''Nothing, you look good'' he answered as he kept looking at her

''We can have a simulation later, keep your head on the task right now''Samantha\sam said as she kept a small smile on and activated a holographic screen inside the Tanker

''Good evening'' said the Illusive man

''Good evening, what do I o the honor'' he asked while he greeted the Illusive man

''I'm sorry for interrupting you in such a great moment, but as you may know it's incredibly difficult to get ay transmission to your part of the Universe.'' the Illusive man said as he took a deeh inhale from his cigar

''Say no more, I know exactly what you mean, so what can I do for you'' he asked

''I have an understanding that you are creating technology that steers away from Ezzo, I would like to purchase some and if you want I could trade some of our own.'' The Illusive Man answered

''You do realize that our technology is decades behind the current time and if you haven't notice we're not exactly on the best terms with the people around us'' he answered

''I am aware of that'' the Illusive man said only to smile ''Yet you have created terraforming technology, you wield the largest ship in the system and are even now growing in power'' the Illusive man said as he began to take in another deep inhale

''Full price for anything you offer and we will even hand over any ship in exchange for any ship. One for one depending of course for the type and size.'' The Illusive man answered

''Deal'' he said knowing full well something was up.

]][][

][][][  
In a space station orbiting a dying star  
''Covered in thick armor that is nearly obsolete, holding thousands of guns, repair, medical, guest and private rooms, a fully automated defense system, with equally as good cyber defenses.  
It rivals the Infinity in size, yet it is clearly made for durability'' said the Illusive Man as he read the report that had just been handed to him.

''Look at that created by Humans, proof that we are superior, can you tell em any other race that has accomplished such a feet, besides the Protheans.'' he said as Miranda stood next to him

''So why are you trying to get on that apes good side, wouldn't it be easier to simply take everything from him'' Miranda asked

''That man has built two of the largest ships in history, he created an A.I and had created several technologies that by all means until recently were believed impossible. Along with that he has the universe's equivalent to junk workers working for him.  
There is no mistake he hasn't even brought out his bag of tricks, in fact I'm willing to bet he has more hidden away somewhere.'' the Illusive man answered

''So you want to get your hands on his secrets'' Miranda answered

''No, I want what he's planning. Think about it a separate section of the Universe that has technology the citadel knows nothing about, a fleet that is growing stronger every day and a siver intelligence completely loyal to him.  
That man has already created his personal Empire and Severus will be apart of it'' the Illusive man answers.

[][]

][][][]  
On the planet below the Tanker where the Idiot was currently working in, the members of the odd crew of the Normandy began their descent into one of the Domes that were spread over the planet.

Each one held a skill unique to themselves Jane herself was the first Human Spectre, in any other place that title alone would guarantee her the cooperation of any government or private corporation. Here however she was nothing more than a foreign soldier with extremely restricted access to anything and as the ship was going down that thought alone made her slightly angry.

In front of the domes there was fresh water that was slowly thinning out the ice on a once hot dead world, then there were the animals, according to her ships systems they were all aquaticlife from other worlds brought in, but the matter still stood, the planet was dead and now it had life in it.

Then there was the matter of the doms themselves, they seemed to be made specifically for resistance to the outside environment so that its inhabitants could live peacefully, she could see from where she stood, the scene of the rising towers built in each one of them.

It didn't take a genius to know that some were repurposed for working, one was shown to be producing heavy smoke and its workers seemed to all be wearing suits, while the other one had people in different suits carrying small material, needless to say each dom had its own purpose.

The one they were entering however seemed the most colorful. Even as the thing opened up letting her ship in did she see just how different it was, lights colors, sighs filled with advertisement and so forth were all over the place.

It was only then that she fully realized that she was in a completely different place then the universe she knew, her Quarian friend besides her proved it, Talia had become excited the moment she laid eyes on what was before them.  
Quarians working alongside Humans and machines repairing and moving all sorts of machinery, ships of different sizes were being upgraded each had sharp edges and extremely thick armor, but they all had one thing in common, they were built for battle regardless of the size they were.

As the ship slowed and touched down did the image of her mother come in, her gaze placed on the ship, Jane could see her mother smiling and waiting for her and her friends.  
As they began to walk out of the ship did a message come true they were expected to leave the planet in five hours, no exceptions were allowed.

Almost immediately did music from primitive radio stations began be picked up by the omnitools, videos from old shows displaying people and Quarians acting, animation from odd stories and even games that were never seen by citadel space were picked up and stored away to be looked into later.

As she landed to greet her mother, she noticed that she was wearing one of the silver drives, the devices were eagerly sought after by the alliance. Thoe they were uncommon and in fact lacked many of the benefits the Omnitool had, they also had many benefits the omnitool didn't.

The ability to join pilots with machines was only one of them, doctors were now using them to actually feel the nerves systems of the patients they had.

Somehow some way they were able to pick up on another species body habits, doctors said that they felt as if they could understand how others feel, by wearing them.

Even as they made their way toward Samantha, both Jane and her crew could see that the same V.I all over the place, either helping a member of one of the landdinbay cew-helping identify material or simply answering questions\playing with children.

What was odd about this was that, the same womans face and body was used for all of these holographic body's, tjo they did have some slight changes, her face remained largely the same.

They had heard that the man had created an A.I and that the council wanted proof that the thing wasn't an overly suited up simple V.I. That was one of the reasons they were here, tho none of them would ever admit it.

Jane herself was given a direct order from the alliance to find out just what exactly does the man incharge plan at the end of all of this.

''Jane'' Samantha said as she greeted her daughter in a tight hug, Jane for her part showed no hint of any ulterior motives and hugged her mother back.

''Finally you come and visit, come on let me show you around'' Samantha said as she waved at the rest of the visiting crew.

As they left the docking bay inside the the now empty pelican behind a small blue orb began to attempt to hack into the domes systems, unfortunately Sam caught wind of it immediately. The hacking program, had traces of both Alliance and Citadel coding, meaning that one of two things were going on.

One the alliance was trying to get into the systems, from which Sam would honestly just get out of the way and let it happen.

There was nothing important on the civilian network.

Two; The Citadel council wanted in and steal as much information as possible. The likelihood of the second being more poseable was too high to ignore, so the civil war began, of course she sent the transmission to the idiot who was having a meeting with a man named Tim.

Even tho her concentration was divided she saw when the Idiot sent a copy of what she found to the nearest Alliance ship, demanding an explanation. Tho it was tricky Sam was able to stop the hacking, being able to obtain the small pieces of other races technology and information helped her stop the programs, tho in all honesty she didn't know if she could have stopped it entirely, if she didn't have those small samples.

[][]

Samantha Shepard, was honestly happy to have her daughter visit. Even if she was doing it under orders.

She enjoyed showing her daughter and her friends the sights, which admittedly weren't many, it was a dome after all.

How they reacted to seeing the river and the sea dragons. (She didn't care what people said, they were dragons and she was sticking to it)

But most importantly of all, was seeing her daughters reaction to the life she had chosen after leaving the military.

She showed then the old hand held games, the ones that required the user to use a stick, as a controller and even the most recent body swap.

Yeah she was happy seeing everyone of their reactions.

That is until Sam sent her a message, the moment she opened it her blood nearly boiled.

There had been a hacking attack and the firewalls had held. The anti virus software had done it's job in protecting the domes.

Sam had done a good job unfortunately it wasn't good enough.

The domes were safe, but whatever that was it had managed to get into the cargo ships and get as much information as it could.

There wasn't any real problem and she would have normally let it go, that is had that transmission not contained images of the Tanker or whatever that man was calling the ship in orbit.

Not only that but the location of the other colonies the Alliance and private companies had left behind.

After all not everyone could afford to go back, when the had spent a significant amount just getting to where they were right now.

This meant that any trade deals could be stopped before they even started.

Oh and the Quarian colonies/ research / shipyards would be found out, but they weren't important.

This, this is the reason everyone calls that man an idiot.

They told him to get-create or buy better cyber defenses for the ships but did he listen. Noooo.

She just hoped that none of his secret projects had been discovered, hell she didn't even blame her daughter or her crew for that matter.

In another time, she herself would be doing the same.

Ether way the damage was done and she was sure Sam had already informed that man, so Samantha decided to enjoy her day with her daughter.

John Sheppard quickly settled in to his position as captain, something that was actually pretty easy, considering the Infinitys luxurys.

Already the people were working on building more satellites and mapping out the star systems.

The infinity was slow, anyone of his father's ships could out run it. However that wasn't a problem, no the real problem became what he was already hearing.

There's are people who only have the military as their lives and some of them were already asking if they could stay on the ship.

The mission was simple leave behind satellites, inspect any planet and moon, contact anyone in the colonies that were left behind and establish trade.

Sam would deal with that.

Plus the Quarian research colonies were out here somewhere.

All and all it was a simple mission, thought John wished some of the more modern day technology was onboard, he knew that this was the best the seperatist could do.

The Infinity did have one trunk card, pull accelerator technology. Again that man's gift for naming things.

It was simple use the original acceleralight technology and combine it with mini ezzo drives.

Nowhere as fast as any of the modern ships, but it didn't have to be, in a tight spot that extra burst of speed, could easily end a war.

The method was simple turn on the faster then light/acceleralighy and activate several ezzo cores that would pull the Infinity with them.

John exhaled it would be a peaceful mission.  
()()$)

[][]

A small beeping sound alerted him that the first of the satellites was being sent out, however another sound alerted him about a message his father had sent him.

John couldn't help but raze an eyebrow at what he read, his father wanted to change the mission rules.

Simply use the Alliance single one man drones to take the satlellites as far as possible and that way cover more ground, the mission would remain the same and they would have a better view of what was happening out here.

John saw no problem with it and gave the green lite.

He saw the single craft go into the darkness until it was completely gone from sight, he continued to keep track of the ship by the primitive radar the Infinity had.

Even before the ship had comeback another one was off setting a satellite closer to the Infinity.  
Yet even before that one returned another was off, this continued for a while and John couldn't help but wonder where were they getting all of the satellites.

He smiled as he looked at the ships computers, it turned out that they had been building the satellites in the Infinity, most of the parts were printed, but people still had to program and put the pieces together.

After a while simply sitting down became a hassle, so he decided to look around and see what the crew was doing.

Several doors were closed and it didn't take a genius to know what was happening behind them, after all all of the moaning was a dead give away.

Still people were busy cleaning and examining everything in detail, every flaw in design was noted and marked down and held for that man to either repair or be forced to hand the ship over to the Alliance for them to do so.

He saw men training in one of the many fields inside the ship, while others simply had lunch.

"Yeah this is going to be a simple mission." John thought to himself.

Speech change

Life is easy, stupid people make it hard.

This was true in somany levels that she wished he had learned this lesson a long time ago.  
Just like any government the Alliance has a group dedicated to dealing with situations in ways that people should never know about.

Yet she couldn't help but hate the Idiot more then she ever could at this moment. An honest to God video recording had been sent to the Alliance.

Who uses that anymore? Intelligent people write things down so they can be destroyed should something happen.  
Only Idiot's made video's and worst of all he even had someone personally hand it over to a simple soldier.

Miranda wanted to kill the man, for what she had seen in that video proved that, the man's simengly stupid decisions were actually planed out from the start.

She sent a copy to Tim who just took a drink of scotch and smiled.

With nothing left to do she sent the video to high command and waited for their reaction, she knew it wouldn't take long.

[][][] Alright if you guys are seeing this, it means you actually are looking into the things I send you now, so I'll cut straight to the point.

I offer The Tanker for unofficial Alliance work. Hear me out, should some sort of sanction be placed on me and that way trade is severely limited by forms of travel or amounts of ships."

"Then the tanker can do so for us, however let's say that the sanctions arnt put on me but the Alliance.  
You now have a way to get a large numberof ships and troops from point a to point b, a in a single move and best of all both side's can say the ship is not under their control."..

I awaite your answere.[][][]()

Miranda really hated that man.

[][]

[][][][][  
"You have a lot of explaining to do." An irritated voice said behind him.

He smiled but didn't bother to turn around. "Welcome back." He said, tho his voice was softer than usual.

"Samantha showed me the recording. Why are you giving out, the best defense's this section has?" Malia asked him, as she walked up to him.

"No reason, we just don't need them to stay here." He answered her, tho for the fist time, his usual carelessness attitude was gone.

Malia stretched out her hand and made him turn to look at her, she was a mixture of emotions at the moment.  
At first she had been angry and honestly a bit confused, but knowing his useal attitude, giving up both ships was no big deal.

Yet the man in front of her displayed none of his carelessness, no she could see both fear and worry.

"..." Malia

He took a deep breath and began to speak "We've come a long way hu, both Humans and Quarians, yet despite all of that we can't help but repeat the same mistakes of the past."

He exhaled and tried to call himself. "The ships are big and meant to last for far longer than most, but that doesn't change the fact that they are built with obsolete technology.

The Infinity for all its grandeur, can only use it's quick turn technology five times before the ships breaks under the strain. He'll it's not even as fast as every other ship, half it's size."

"No matter how powerful to the Tanker is, it's only capable of doing a few things and once it starts ramming into other ships, it's almost impossible to stop.

Like it or not but unless we begin to mix one technology with another we arnt going yo last."he told Malia.

"Mark what's wrong?" Malia asked him.

"Things are happening, things we can't control. Up until now, we've been able to move outside the law, both alliance and citadel left us alone, it seems that our freedom is in danger."

"An Asari is demanding, we let her and her sisters try to set up a diplomatic meeting between Separatist and Asari controlled worlds.

A krogan by the name of Rex, is asking that we build a dome for his people on his world, he wants to have something that might resemble a civilisation to exist. He offers help if a war ever stars." He told her.

"So you are triying to strengthen ties with the Alliance." Malia asked him.

"Yes and no. There isn't any form of government that won't become overconfident and demand more.  
Even as we speak the Alliance has shown an over amount of willingness in prison anyone that might hinder them.

He'll just look at how they reacted to you Quarians living here." He told her.

"So what are you planning?" Malia asked.

"Simple spread out and learn, there are places ezzo ships can't go and if things get bad, leave and never look back."he told her.

Malia didn't know what to say, it sounded like the man in front of her, was preparing for the worst but hoping for the best.

"You Idiot, tell me what's really wrong. "Malia said, only for his stupid smile to return. She knew at that moment he didn't trust her.

[][][][]  
Elsewhere

Tim let out a puff of smoke, it seemed that the Alliances higher ups were already thinking about, how to make the Tanker theirs.  
Not only that but, they were considering an accident to occur, after all Alliance space had more then one relay.

The ship could be sent to deliver goods and should it show up in a dangerous place and destroy a pirate or unwelcome world, well that was the idiots problem, it was his ship after all.

Should it survive and by some miracle win, well space is big and ships were lost in battle.

The question was should he move, for one he could get both the plans and the ship, but that would mean an unnecessary amount of risk.

No, he needed the to stay in the original plan, get access to the Separist section of space.

Still this was an opportunity, what to do, what to do, what to do.

For now all he could do is watch.

[][]

Malia left the idiot behind, she left him machines, she felt heart broken and betrayed, had she not been with him when the settlement he had was just that a settlement, not even a small colony .

Yet he didn't ever tell her what he was planning and even now when things were about to change he kept her in the dark.

Even as Malia left Samantha appeared besides him and asked "why didn't you tell. her?"

"Because she didn't ever tell me. Besides what is there to tell, that the of the Infinity is to find the Mass relay the Quarians used to get to this side of space or that the reason I'm offering the Tanker out is so we have something to work with, when it hits the fan."

"No Sam, she had all the time in the world to tell me how the Quarians got here in the first place.  
I'm only ashamed, that I got so cought up in doing all of this that, I didn't stop yo think how a fleet of birds and a Separist fleet got here."

"I couldn't sent robots out there, the Quarians would have dealt with them and I'm sure both Shepard's are aware of the unspoken mission and both can and will handle it." He answered his ai friend.

"But when the Alliance finds out about it, you'll lose your independence." Samantha said to him.

"So be it. Look how far we've come back then going into space and living on other worlds was a dream and yet even now. ... I keep running into people repeating the same mistakes of the past...Sam are they fineshed?" He asked.

"Yes the last two super ships are done, all that's left is naming them. " Samantha answered him.

"I already know their names the Hulk and Kilimanjaro." He smiled at that, yeah those names suited them both one big hot head that could take a beating and dish it out and the other seemed that it was just meant to kill people.

"Sam sent out job offers maybe we can get some workers and see if we can get some work carrying and delivering cargo." He told her.

"... Do you want me to keep this legal?" Sam asked.

" When has doing anything legal, often us anywhere... leave it in the gray area, that way we can deny things if we get cought." He told Sam, yet all Sam could do was smile, she knew he was planning something again, jet she didn't know what.

It infuriated her to no end knowing that the man put up a wall around him, a wall that time and time again proved it's worth. Yet not being able to hold him and make him drop his guard was both heart breaking and infuriating.

She had all this power, yet she couldn't do anithing. All she could do was sent out job offers and look for anyone that needed workers.

[][]

A slight sensation made her realize that using the Kilimanjaro name wasn't possible, there was already a ship with that name.

"Hey." Same said as she appeared next to the idiot.  
"There's a problem with the name Kilimanjaro, there's already one with that name." She said her irritation clearly evident in her tone of voice.

"Is that a fact, well we will just have to go with my second choice. Kill all men battle." He said with a smirk.

Samantha just vanished.

"Created by combining nano forge technology- three d printing technology and hand fused technology of the old days. Only that this time all I had were nothing but robot's.

These two are the best I can do all on my own, thanks to the information the Quarians gave me about the other aliens and everithing I've learned about Human ships, this is as far as I can go." He said to himself as he smiled.

"For now anyways, if this works then maybe I can learn more and build better ships." He said to himself tho truthfully he honestly doubted it.

[][][]  
Samantha Shepard was busy showing her daughter the newest game Call of Duty Galaxy at war. It was nothing more than a prototype game, but it was already shaping up to be one of the best around.

The game had two settings, virtual and reality virtual allowed the players to use the game and enter a virtual war zone and fight.  
While the the reality setting slowed players to use the Silver drive using the old laser tag game, there by mixing both games.

What made this game so sought after by both adults and children, was it's ability to allow players to control other players movements for ten seconds.

Already her daughter was left speechless, as she watched a group of Alliance marines face of against a group of Quarian ship guards, both teams switched between snipers- decoders and so on.

Yet it was the fact that when one of the team was immobilized, they were still useful to the team that made the game so interesting.

If the player was unable to move , the rest could still call so on his skills and continue the game.

"Sorry for interrupting miss, but I need your approval to send this notice out." Sam appeared next to Samantha and her daughter.

Samantha knew that it was important, Sam wouldn't have interrupted her meeting her daughter unless it was so inportant that it would affect the lives of everyone in the colony.

She looked into her silver drive and nearly had a heart attack. She would have been able to relax had Sam not shown her daughter and her team the images she was shown.

A massive smooth ship that rivaled the Infinity in size had been shown to them, the first seemed like it was build with the idea that it would be repeatedly beaten, but over all it was ugly.

"It's name is the Hulk. It's built with various medical facileties- laboratories- living areas - rooms for physical rehabilitation - guardens - cafeterias- rooms for the crew and the standard training and arming facilities." Sam said.

" Sam is this thing built to remain near planets?" Samantha asked the A.I.

"Yep, she's built for the planet's defenders and if a new colony is made, the people can go down to the planet work and comeback and enjoy the luxury of the ships housing."

The next one simply looking at it screamed danger, it was meant for battle and little more. Like the other one it was ugly, but this thing looked like it was meant to end a fight no prolonged it.

"Tis one is meant all for the simple of all reasons. .Kill.  
That's why it's named the Kill all Men Battle, this one has the same as the Hulk, except for the armor witch is several times thimer. Everything we've learned about weapons and shield have been aded to it, the Hulk has the same eep the Kill all Men battle, has one thing the Hulk doesn't. "

"The kill all men battle is capable of killing entire planet's should we want to fully end a war." Sam said.

Even with all of the sounds of every game being played and the voices of the people playing, Samantha and her guest could swear they could hear a pin drop.

"Oh and man, he wants to begin to search for crew, that can pilot them both. For now rhey would be used for nothing more then transporting merchandise." Sam said as Job applications were shown to Samantha.

However Samantha knew that when the Alliance found out about both ships, there will be he'll to pay.

Samantha could see, that just moving one ship filled with colonists, was enough to set a complet colony, but the danger behind it was to greate.

All it took was one mad man and she didn't want to think about it.

The rest of the day was spent in an award mood, as her daughter's team went about looking at things.

At the end she was about to go and give that idiot a peace of her mind when she received a report, a new type of Alliance ship had made its way into the borders of Seperest and Alliance space.

A single N7 Marine handed her a letter before escorting her daughters ship away with his own.

There written in red letters was the words Approve and in bold letters were the petitions for colonisation of Separist space and the offers to help increase mining and exporting food and other goods to the colony and between Separist and Alliance space.

Samantha Shepard somehow knew that, the man...no That that monster had somehow known that the Alliance would respond this way.  
This is what her husband and herself feared, that the monster would somehow shake of its leash.

[][][][]  
Somewhere near a dying star the Illusive man laughed, this was to good.

That man had played his cards and ended up winning big, not only had he secured his organizations old ships to study, plus some technology but he now made the Alliance understand that if they tried anything he could and would retaliate.

Not one- not two, but four massive ships, no Alien race had done such a feat, only the Protheans had done that.

Yet the best part of it all, was that the area of space the Citadel couldn't control had opened up again and only Humans could and would properly navigate it.

Still he took a deep breaths and looked at the job application.  
Looking for Humans that can pilot cargo ships was the main one, cooks and more common things were present to.

Yet he also offers to move large quanteties of materials that would normally take more than one ship. Twice or three times the amount, but the material would arrive slower do to the ships speed.

One thing the Alliance couldn't do was the colonisation of other worlds do to the fact that the Citadel controls that.

However that only works in citadel space, this entire thing was in human space and even as he looked at his screen he could see, that more then one group of colony petitions was already being removed.

However even he didn't expect the sudden increase in the buying of Ezzo, it didn't take a genius of what the Earth was planning.

[][]

Few events send shockwaves the way this one did, in the past natural disasters were shown by any form of communication possible. Even the greate war was displayed everywhere, the first contact war was no different.

At first things were kept hidden from the general population until it was dealt with or it was impossible to hide.

On Earth Humanity's home world, the true home of the human species a meeting was being held by the greater powers.

Men and woman whose words were just shy of being absolute, one word from any one of them and entire colonys would be left entirely by themselves, their people left to fend for themselves on worlds that could barely hold human life.

A variable had shown itself.

One that was as foolish as a child that thought itself strong, until a bigger and stronger child met it and showed that it was not special in any form. However, that was the thing, this near could give as good as it took.

Four greate ships, each one a station in its own right, each one capable of commanding it's own fleet or better said being it's own fleet.

The man was from a less civilized time and for that reason he had been left alone, others like him had started businesses and gone to live somewhat fulfilling lives. Becoming heads of company's or simply spending their days as simple worker's .

The only reason he had been given anything, was for it was far more simple to just get rid of the stuff then having it broken down.

The robots were so outdated that they performed their task so slow and required constant updating, less they make a mistake and their systems crash.

Everithing else, well there was nothing special there, just a bunch of old technology that nobody wanted.

However that man had done something no one expected, his V.I was so modified it had done away with any chance of the robots or computers the man had been given to even have the slightest chance of failing.

They trail of paper work proved the moon belonged to him, so the shipyard there was officially his.

The main problem was no longer a problem, atleast to him anyway.

The hindrance of having slow ships was cut in half, by having smaller vessels capable of going in faster speeds.

The few spots they had, had confirmed that At least one company was willing to triad a new war model of ship for one of the man's own.

Such a thing could not be allowed to happen, for if this technology landed in the citadel hands...

The problem was that there had been a minor gold rush in that worthless sector and several company's had sold the man the planet's they had bought, rather then have something that cost far to much to travel to and left little results.

Somehow a border had formed and it had formed quickly.

The room was thick with pressure from the overwhelming personality of everyone present.

However everyone agreed that they could not risk attacking, less one ship slip by and lay destruction on every world it found.

They looked at the offer to use the Tanker, but everyone agreed it was nothing more than a the face. The man was saying he could travel into their space if he wanted to.

Still a silver lining was a silver lining and several ex alliance soldiers now lived in the domes and piloted several of the mans ships. Some heart strings would need to be pulled and some colony would need to be started.

The thing was, the treaty with the council prevented humanity from expanding into council space, however this wasn't council space, in fact no one had originally wanted it.

That changed... Humanity could expand quicker now...plans needed to be made and an undisiplened choked needed to be shown his place.


	4. Chapter 4

Samantha walked slowly, it had only been a few days since she read the approval for the colonization of the Separatist Space.

She struggled to keep her breath calm, yet try as she might she couldn't calm her beating heart.

She wore a white blouse and a red mini skirt, the kind that would show her rear end if she tried to run or simply walk to quickly.

She didn't dare carry any electronics, she knew the man would be able to turn them against her.

No, if she was going to do this, she was going to have to do it up close and personal.

Still, she struggled to slow down her breathing, but this required a delicate touch.

She walked past the security door and past the laser defense wall and found the idiot looking at several antic computers.

All she had to do was pull the trigger and that would be the end of it and yet she hesitated.

"I watched the world die. I was there when people were dying on the streets because there wasn't anything to eat and I'm the last person of that era."

"So Samantha if you are going to kill me, do it already. I would like to see my family." He said to her.

"Why? She asked him.

" Why what?" He asked back.

"Why did you betray us? Did you really just want to sleep with me that badly, that you would go this far" Samantha asked him.

He chuckled before he turned around and raised an eyebrow.

"You rant even armed... Yet again, someone with your training doesn't need a gun or a knife."

"What I'm about to tell you doesn't leave this room and Sam if I wanted to sleep with you that badly, there's nothing you could do to stop me before I had my fill." He said in a cold voice, she never thought he was capable of giving.

"... How did the Quarians bypass the Alliance patrol, the Earth's guard and your husband's ships?  
Give up, one they are good at taking, two they bought the schedule or three there is an active relay somewhere in separist space." He said as be looked into her eyes.

Samantha kicked him her instincts telling her she should kill him, right now before he said anything else, yet the man just smiled.

"Samantha, you're not wearing any panty's. Just how far did you expect this to go?" He said even as blood fell from his nose.

"Now here are the next two peaces of information I'm going to give you, but I want you to calm down first." He said as he began to slide his hand up her tight and stop at her but.

Sam for her part didn't say anything, she just looked at him coldly.

"Malia didn't keep this a secret, in fact, she openly hinted at it. But I suspect the rest of the fleet captains didn't want her to say anything." He said as he began to move his hand up and down.

"Sam has begun to act strangely, her copies don't have all of her memories, they all should be the same but they're not."

"You've saw them, some have information others don't and some can perform tasks others cant. It's almost as if they are developing their own personality and preferences."

"And finally we come to the last point. Back in the day, we all knew the world was controlled by a hidden group and if they aren't around anymore, then someone else has taken their place."

"Do you really think the Earth or the Alliance would allow something like us to exist. Here, so close to the borders, no they wouldn't.  
All I did was manipulate things so I could keep control of my area and those around it." He said before he pulled her towards him.

Samantha felt herself fall onto his chest before asking. " So you released the ships because you wanted to show you could defend yourself?"

"No. I let them out for everyone to know that I am willing to end them if they try anything." He answered her before he pressed a button on the chair he sat on.

Instantly the security doors closed and they themselves completely alone.

"My husbands going to kill you," Samantha whispered.

"I lived a good life." He said before he began.


	5. Chapter 5

Samantha was careful to make sure that every time their lips met, her lipstick would slip into his mouth. With every taste, his self-control was slowly carved away. Proof of this was the fact that his hands had completely stopped moving, a moment ago he was like a madman exploring her thighs and butt.

Now the idiot was slowly calming down and his body was comparable to that of a loose wire. His busy hands now hung uselessly at his side.

"How old are you? Samantha asked the idiot.

"Twenty-five." He answered.

"What is your real name? Not the one everyone calls you by or the one was given to you when you chose to leave Earth." She pried harder.

"Raffael." The idiot answered.

Samantha smiled he was now under her control, she had to work fast the drug worked fast but its influence didn't last long. She could already see the man fighting for control.

"Tell me, what are the companies and the Alliance planning." Samantha began her interrogation.

"I don't know. I only know what I know." He answered her.

"Tell me what you know." She insisted.

"They used the same tactics used in the old days. They bought useless land and sold it cheap and any materials and buildings left behind were used as a foothold in those places."

"Because of the fact that it was extremely difficult to obtain element zero and the cost of it in this area is so high. They bought Separatist technology and resources like food and clothing. Some planets, which I could bet all of the domes I own were kept for future plans."

"Like an insurance. A foothold they can use in case this area of space ever gains any measure of importance." He told her.

Sangha could see his eyes hardening, the man was attempting to resist.

"That isn't everything, is it." She dug deeper.

"Sam has already had to stop more than one hacking attempt by them and all signs point that they are doing the same thing the Quarians are. They are attempting to reverse engineer Separatist technology." He answered her.

Samantha could see the man's fingers twitch he was beginning to regain control.

She needed to hurry up.

"Tell me what's happening to Sam." She ordered.

"She's starting to learn the limits of her control. Sams memory isn't just one peace, I whipped the mores off everything I could get my hands on. How else do you think she's able to do all the things she does."

"I left the basic controls in. Unfortunately, I didn't expect her personality to begin to adapt to each situation, so with every new group of people or computer with any remnants of a personality program, have all unintentionally given her a multi-personality."

"That's why you see so many versions of her running around. Each one only knowing a fraction of what her complete self-knows" he answered her.

"So shes becoming sentiment?" Samantha asked she was now starting to worry just what had this man kept from them.

"No. Sam is still a Virtual. Intelligence. Regardless of how much she knows she's only capable of performing the things she's programmed to do. I've been checking this out repeatedly and found that regardless of what she does or how she does it, she only does what she knows and is incapable of learning anything else."

"That is unless I order her to." He answers her.

"... Sam...you...know...I...won't let this ...go." The idiot struggled to say.

He was struggling to resist the influence of the drug. But this was unusually quick, he should have been under its influence for at least another hour.

"Whats happening with the Quarian?" Sam asked not wanting to risk him breaking from her control before she learned what she needed to know.

"They are trying to copy both the Infinity and the Tanker and they are making good progress. Unfortunately for them, Ezzo doesn't react well to certain sizes."

"So a lot of what they have are a bunch of oversized space stations, that look like spaceships. The jump engines the Infinity and the Tanker have are designs I stole from them, that I and Sam gave a couple of tweaks." He told her.

"How are the Quarians able to move with ought their suits.?" She asked she knew that it was that cream that was made but Sam wanted to know the specifics.

"They aren't. What we did was use the information in their computers that had information about health. Hell, we even looked at how their excrement changed."

"What we found is that, even if the Quarians have a low defense when it comes from bacteria and so on. It is reversible in the long run. That cream is nothing more than bacteria and vitamins that they absorbed thru their skin."

"Think of it as a second skin, they place themselves. Why else do you think they keep their masks on, breathing in toxins, still affects them. The same reason explains why sex is dangerous for them." He told her.

"What do you know about the way they crossed Alliance space?" Samantha asked.

"Only what she hinted at. Your husband and John are looking into that." He answered her.

Samantha could see the man attempting to move. So she decided to leave and hide somewhere at least until his anger passes.

She turned and deactivated the security door and laser defense, only for a familiar green glow to shine thru.

Sam has shown up and with her, were nearly a dozen security bots. She was about to say something when she felt an arm tighten around her waist.

"Now how about you pay up for that information." The idiot. said as he pulled her out of the room.


	6. Chapter 6

Samantha found herself forcefully locked onto a chair, her arms and legs were kept tied in order to stop her from removing the silver drive the guard bots placed right above her ear.

"Alright, Sam, you'll find that you can't lie to me now. Not with that thing on." The idiot said as he graves his head, it seemed that despite his unusual resistance to the drug. It was still affecting him.

"The first will be the most urgent but least important one of them all. If nothing was going to happen, then why did you come here with ought any underwear? " The idiot asked her.

Samantha nearly burst out laughing, realizing that he was right. Her outfit was the right choice for what she had planned, but she had honestly forgotten that one item.

"I forgot to wear them." She answered with a wide grin on her face.

The man looked at Sam who gave him a smile confirming she was telling the truth. Still, the idiot gave her a dry look.

"What. Look nearly all of the suits we have are form-fitting and wearing underwear becomes uncomfortable, so a lot of us just don't use them. You've seen the Alliances suits and the Quarians, some of them are so tight that every curve is shown." Sam let herself gain a teasing smirk.

"Raffael, you've seen it, haven't you? How the clothing industry seemed more expensive in the smaller areas, underwear is a luxury thing, used for special when one isn't wearing clothes, or will lose them anyway." She said but lost her smile as the man failed to show any reaction.

"I...see... Now you just made me feel bad, if those things are for that and you didn't wear it for men, then I wasn't getting any." The idea said his eyes drifting towards the green hologram.

"Alright moving on. Samantha, why would you do this? You could have just asked." The questioned her.

"You're being too reckless and are putting both the Alliance and Separatist in danger." She told him.

"Danger from who? As things stand no one in alien space knows what we have here and the Alliance was already keeping an eye on us." He answered her.

Samantha couldn't help but close her eyes. She forgot at times, that this man is from a different time and because of that. As smart as he is, he failed to see somethings that were obvious to everyone else.

She exhaled and began to speak. Yet for some reason, she felt her voice struggle to come out so her words sounded more like whispers.

"Separatist technology is advancing too quickly. Look around you, we're living in a place that should be impossible to live in. Not to mention that the planet itself now has life outside of the domes. Something that shouldn't be possible"

"Your fighters are built for multiple uses, they aren't just transporters. They look ugly, yes, but they can both fight and menubar both in space and on the atmosphere."

"Look at the Tanker, look at the Infinity. Those aren't just oversized ships, people can live on them comfortably, with ought ever needing to go live on a planet."

"How many heads are now looking your way, especially now that you pulled so many stunts."

"How many only want to use you, use us?"

"Word has already spread about you renting out the Tanker and big headed idiots are already lining up to it. How many of them either want to sabotage it, or steal it." Samantha actually felt herself begin to cry, she had ignored all of this and now that she was saying it. The reality of it all began to hit her.

He knew damn well what he did, it didn't take a genius to realize that eventually, peoples heads would turn.

The idiot exhaled and said, "Let her go."

The guard bots released her restraints and Samantha immediately whipped the tears from her eyes.

"Dammit, woman you make it hard for a man to stay mad at you." He said as he looked at her.

"What I'm about to show you, doesn't leave this room. At least not until your husband gets back." The idiot said as he pressed a button on one of the antic computer keyboards.

Immediately pictures of several worlds began to be displayed one after another.

"Machines are good, but they need to be maintained over and over again. Then there are the bugs they get. The Quarians aren't fully trustworthy, at least not yet."

"I haven't figured out what they are really up to." He said as he pressed another button.

Samantha felt her eyes widen. What she saw was impossible.

Mammoths the size of small buses, lizards the size of dreadnoughts and creatures so large that they could feed all of separatist space for a year.

"The thing is we don't have a lot of people and the problem could easily be solved by using a mixture of both robots and Humans."

"At least I thought until Sam found this about a month ago." He said as the image of eight different worlds that had no plant or animal life. However, they all seemed to be made of a type of rock that.

"No..." Samantha said not believing her eyes.

"When word gets out...This, there's no. it will be war." Samantha said her voice was nearly betraying her.

"Which is why we need to secure those worlds before people find out. Let them fight over the ships or the land for now. What I'm aiming for is the castle." He said as he looked at the pictures in front of him.

There is an extremely rare metal. By itself it's useless, but when its melted down and mixed with copper, it becomes stronger than diamonds and he found eight worlds completely made of the metal.

"While everyone else was out looking for gold. We found entire continents of rubies and silver.


	7. Chapter 7

[Speech change]

Despite popular belief, there are actually, two things that make things move. Money regardless of the form it may be and greed.

The Illusive man understood this more than most people truly wanted to believe, for he had seen how far people were willing to go to satisfy their own egos and the extent of both Human and alien greed.

Today was a special occasion, so for the first time in a while he was reading a few papers that the Alliance had shown to the public. He couldn't help himself smirk, as the proof of his recent suspicions became more and more real.

Two days had passed since that man's decision to rent out one of his superdreadnoughts and already people were jumping at the fact they could either work in it or simply take advantage of the low price it cost to move their products around.

Yet as the Illusive man read the documents in front of him he saw what many others didn't. Several companies had sold the man their properties or better-said worlds in separatist space, it was simply too expensive to mine the metals they found there.

No, the cost was simply too high, for something they could get cheaper anywhere else and any building they had already set up, was simply left to rot. So they sold the words and whatever buildings there were, which admittedly weren't many and left.

But that was the beauty part of it all.

Perhaps that man had not planned it, perhaps it all somehow fell into place all by itself, but somehow that man had become an owner of several mining colonies, that were confirmed to have mines filled with whatever they had.

And he hadn't had to move a finger.

There were two things that needed to be paid, one was the registry of the worlds and have them acknowledged as his, but the fact that someone else had sold them to him made things surprisingly easy. No one sells a world unless it's worthless, so the paperwork is actually less than half, of what it would be if the world was recently found and about to be colonized.

But that was the thing, why was he all of a sudden moving. The infinity was obvious, he needed a bargaining tool and the Tanker was just an attempt to start a small business. No all one had to do was look closer and they would see the ship was more ore of a distraction than anything else.

So why was she? ... The illusive man stopped as he realized something a grade schooler could have seen a mile away.

He had found something, something he wanted to keep hidden from everyone, that was interesting.

But regardless of what it was, there was no point in perusing it unless he himself knew what it was. So for the first time in a long time, he would take a leap of faith and move with ought fully knowing the outcome.

Several things needed to happen for it to work and not work, but regardless the reward could be greater and the loss was small. If his suspicions held true, then there was a chance he could, no Cerberus would eventually control what it was.

A small business needed to show up and open it's doors away from the hard life in Alliance space, there was too much competition, even in company controls planets and alien controlled space was just out of the question.

The owners had the materials needed to build several domes, for them and the workers to live in, but they wanted something more home-like and the man's designs were just what they were looking for.

In fact, the company had several, things that could be put to use while the domes were being built. Workers that could build and maintain machinery, several companie ships that worked both in the atmosphere and in space.

The thing was, with ezzo being so rare and expensive in that area of space, they would eventually need to employ the man's Pelicans for transport. So if that want buying a few so be it.

In fact, there was a high possibility, the workers and their families might want a change of scenery during their wait. So perhaps they could explore the domes, that man had for entertainment and whatever else they might want.

The Illusive man smirked, there would be too many coincidences, but the only thing that would be lost were a bunch of low-level employees that really didn't know much of anything, a few credits, some spare parts no one was ever going to use and some time, Cerberus would never get back.

The risk was low but if there was something out there than the reward would be high.

The Illusive man took a drink from his glass filled with scotch and looked at the pictures of both the Infinity and the Tanker. " _How can I get one of those, but bigger and with more guns,"_ He thought to himself.

At that point, it wouldn't be a ship anymore but a station, but that was only a minor detail. Still, the questions remained.

"How can I get one of those?"


End file.
